stephen R Harrison

Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. -Proverbs 8:14

I’ve done some dumb things in my lifetime. I’d like to say, “Hasn’t everybody?” just to make me feel better. Once, I was considering getting a new wedding ring, but my old one wouldn’t come off. I had not planned to take it off then, but since I was already using the grinder on something else (insert eye roll here), I thought (well, I wasn’t thinking) it might just work. I didn’t think that one through very well. As soon as the grinder touched the ring, it heated up, putting a perfect ring-sized blister around my finger. My 10th grade chemistry teacher’s lectures were coming back loud and clear in that moment. Gold is one of the best conductors of heat. I instantly stuck my whole ring finger (which I’m thankful I still have) in my mouth to try and cool it off. How dumb! I didn’t tell my wife about that for a while lest she remind me about the times I tried to iron my shirt with it on and the time she accidentally gave me a huge black eye with a golf club (totally my fault). Don’t ask.

Proverbs 8 reminds us about the need and benefit of God’s wisdom. Wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit and His Word. Wisdom “calls out” to us (1) because God loves us and doesn’t want us to do stupid things that bring terrible consequences. These are more than grinder and ironing issues. This includes lust, anger, money, pride, integrity, and other character issues. When we face the fork in the road of wisdom and foolishness (2), we must choose wisdom! God’s wisdom is always trustworthy, true, just, and right. It is never wicked, crooked, or perverse (6-9). If what we face is or even seems to be the latter, rest assured, it is not God’s wisdom…so stay away from that foolishness! God’s wisdom is far better and longer lasting than any riches of this world (10-11). We cannot buy this kind of wisdom as it only comes through spending time with the Lord. I wouldn’t trade God’s wisdom for anything! 

Men, if you are going to be a Proverbs 8 man, you must make wise decisions. One wise decision leads to another wise decision. One foolish decision leads to another foolish decision. You either follow a path of blessing or cursing, but it’s your choice! Proverbs 8 men must love knowledge, discretion, and prudence and hate pride, arrogance, and perverse speech (12-13). Proverbs 8 men also love wise counsel, sound judgment, and insight (14). Wise men seek wisdom because they know its fruit is honor, godly prosperity, righteousness, and justice (17-21).

Proverbs 8 men know the wisdom of the Lord has been around long before the wisdom of this world (22-31). No “new way of thinking” is better than God’s established and time-tested wisdom. Verses 22-31 remind us God’s power and creation are the evidence of how His wisdom works. And wisdom works every time! Men, we must choose God’s way in our relationships, business ventures, free time, and every other part of our lives. Think about what happened to Peter in the Bible when he chose his way of doing things (i.e. cut off a dude’s ear, almost drowned, rebuked Jesus, denied Jesus with cursing and swearing in Mark 14:71), and contrast that to when he chose God’s way of doing things (i.e. first to confess Jesus as the Christ Son of the living God, saw Jairus’ daughter raised, present at Jesus’ transfiguration, preached at Pentecost). At times, Peter was strong-willed, impulsive, and foolish in his decisions. Like Peter, we must do what the end of Proverbs 8 says to have wisdom’s good fruit. We must patiently listen to God and faithfully keep His ways (32-34). When we do, we will find life and favor from the Lord’s wisdom instead of harm and death from the world’s foolishness (35-36). 

Questions to Ponder

1. Are there areas of your life that God could view as foolish?
2. Which of the Christ-like characteristics listed above do you need most to combat foolishness?
3. What verse stands out the most to you?
4. What other questions came to mind?

Actions to Take

1. If you had a list of wise and foolish choices made last month, write the top one of each category below.
2. What is something wise you can do with your money and time this month?

Scriptures to Read

Proverbs 10:23, 12:16, 14:15, 18:6, 28:26

Prayers to Pray

Jesus, I want to be wise in your eyes, not my own. Warn me of foolish decisions. Help me discern wisdom and foolishness so there is no gray area. Bring any foolish ways or thoughts to my attention. Keep me from justifying unwise actions. I desire to walk in wisdom, so send godly advisors in my life I can listen to and learn from.