Get Wise!

We're in a great place in the Journey right now. We're reading about Solomon and wisdom literature attributed to him (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon). I introduced it Sunday. It is really practical stuff.

Wisdom doesn’t come naturally. Foolishness does. It’s easier to be lazy than to work hard. It’s easier to lie and cheat than to be truthful. It’s easier to lust than to maintain purity. It’s easier to be passive than to take initiative. It’s easier to over eat and drink than to practice moderation. It’s easier to spend money than to save it. Sometimes wisdom seems counterintuitive!

“There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode when George Costanza, feeling like a total failure, determined he was a loser because of where he was in life (mid-thirties, broke, single, no job, living with parents)? It occurred to him that he was in this miserable place due to following his natural instincts. So he decided to do the opposite of his instincts from then on. Hilarious! By the end of the show his life had completely turned around: he had a job with the New York Yankees, he dated a gorgeous woman, and he had an upscale apartment in Manhattan. So funny!

It’s true that our natural tendency is not toward wisdom, it is towards foolishness. If you follow your natural instincts through life, you'll find that many of things that seem like a good idea at the time, prove to be miserable choices. But wisdom brings great rewards.

Blessed is the one who listens to me [wisdom]...

For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains favor from the Lord (Proverbs 8:34-35).

Solomon found out that if you have wisdom, you can have anything. With wisdom, you'll not only be able to make money, you'll know how to keep it. You'll be able to find and develop lasting friendships. You'll know what to say and when to say it. If you have wisdom, you'll be able to sleep at night because you won't be dreading the consequences of your actions. You’ll avoid a lot of the misery people bring on themselves, and know how to maximize your personal happiness. With wisdom, you'll be able to raise your kids the right way so that they too will find happiness. When you have wisdom, you really have everything!

That’s why you should desire wisdom, and Proverbs is a great place to discover it. That’s what we’re reading this week. Be wise! Read Proverbs with us! Even if you’ve fallen off the reading wagon, this is a great place to get back on!

Share your favorite verses on our Facebook page or on Twitter (hashtag: #provjourney. That will make your tweet show up on Journey2012.com) and encourage the rest of us! Come Sunday and we'll talk about it.