We all know the book Song of Solomon in the Bible, linked to King Solomon, the son of King David. It’s famous for its poems, wisdom, and unique writing style. But another book to consider is Proverbs. The oh-so-wise king wrote several chapters, and there’s a lot we can learn from him.
Chapter One literally explains the whole point and goal of the book (Proverbs 1:1–6). In it, Solomon warns us about the kind of people we hang out with and listen to. This same chapter also talks about the importance of wisdom and how we should grab it at the right time.
Proverbs 1
It introduces us to the book of proverbs and gives us a sneak peek into what can be expected; instructions, knowledge, guidance, explanations etc.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
We are called to listen to and obey our parents’ guidance, which reflects the fifth commandment: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). The passage also highlights that wisdom and instruction bring beauty and honor to our lives, like a garland on the head or a chain around the neck.
When I first read Proverbs 1:10–19, I believed it was clear that such acts aren’t according to God’s will but then it hit me that we sometimes assume it’s obvious we won’t fall into sin. We like to think, “I’m smart enough, I’m a good person, I wouldn’t do something like that.” But these verses aren’t just talking about major crimes or dramatic wrongdoing. They also warn us about the small, seemingly insignificant sins.
It’s easy to deceive ourselves, thinking, “Oh, it’s not that big of a deal,” but before we know it, we catch ourselves doing things we know are wrong. No one is above temptation. Believing that we are immune to sin, or that we know better, is often the very first step toward downfall.
This passage reminds us to stay vigilant, to examine our hearts honestly, surround ourselves with things/people that’ll improve our life and to resist both the big and the small temptations before they take root.
Verse 20-33 is honestly so true. In this day and age, we have no excuse to be ignorant. Ignorance has become a choice, not something that simply overcomes us. There are books, podcasts, movies, performances, churches, communities, and gatherings that can feed our spirit man.
Anyone in the body of Christ whose spirit man is malnourished has clearly lost track of their priority and is chasing other things. Yes there are times and seasons in our lives and there will be moments where we won’t be performing on the level we ought to perform BUT at the end of the day we spend time and energy on what we consider important, so neglecting our spirit says a lot about our relationship with God. He has given us everything we need to finish this race successfully, and it is up to us to tap into that full potential.
There is no one but ourselves to blame for our ignorance. We can’t expect to “eat our cake and have it too.” The wisdom and knowledge we rejected, is often the same one we later want to rely on to help us in the future after we’ve put our own selves in danger.
I don’t think so!
Of course, God is merciful, and He will take care of us, but we would have suffered consequences that could have been prevented had we embraced that divine wisdom from the beginning.
We humans destroy ourselves when we lack wisdom. The wise King Solomon has spoken, let those who have ears listen (Matthew 11:15).
Stay Blessed x
