7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight. - Proverbs 4:7 (ESV)
Introduction
My dad used to say things like “plant your corn early,” and “don’t take any wooden nickels.”
Those sayings were always good for a laugh when the server at Cracker Barrel brought the bill, but to people living a generation earlier, those sayings could have been legitimate pieces of advice. The sayings became common because they had been said so many times before and because so many had failed to heed the obvious.
Proverbs 4:7 is similar because it contains important advice - maybe the most important message we will ever receive - but message being delivered never grows old and is never out of style. It is always applicable.
And if we are wise, we will heed this call.
Let’s take a look at the verse now.
“The beginning of wisdom is this”
IYKYK.
Have you seen these letters used before? If you know what they mean, I guess you know what they mean. But if you don’t know, they are an abbreviation for the phrase “if you know you know.”
If you know something - if you are in the know - you’ve been clued in to the relevant information. On the other hand, if you don’t know the relevant information, you have no idea what you are missing. Maybe you don’t understand what is around you that could hurt you. Or maybe there is something that could help greatly. Either way, you just don’t know.
And if we don’t know, then it is really beneficial to us if someone will come along and tell us what we need to know.
That is what the writer of this proverb is telling us in Proverbs 4:7. He is telling us to get wisdom. In other places in the Bible, we are reminded that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10), but this verse seems to start the reminder about wisdom even earlier. Before we can “get wisdom,” we must understand how important wisdom is and how important it is to pursue.
This “beginning of wisdom” refers to the acknowledgment and understanding of just how important wisdom is. Before we can get started on the journey, we must understand where we need to go.
“Get wisdom”
The great advice given by the writer of this proverb is this, “get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
Wisdom is defined by some as “the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions or judgments” and this is not a bad definition. In fact, it would not be bad advice to tell someone to get this type of ability. But the “wisdom” we are told to pursue in this proverb (and in other places in the Bible) is different. This type of wisdom is Biblical wisdom.
What is the difference? Well, here is the definition of Biblical wisdom:
Biblical wisdom = understanding what the Bible says about something and acting upon what it says.
There are many different types of wisdom. As we pass through life, we gather all sorts of information about all sorts of things, and, along the way it is not unusual to seemingly unknowingly gather “experience and knowledge to make sensible decisions or judgements.” Perhaps we spend a career in business. In this case, it would not be unusual to have wisdom specifically related to business things. Maybe we have lots of children and grandchildren. In this case, it would not be unusual to have some wisdom related to child rearing.
But Biblical wisdom is different. Biblical wisdom is understanding what the Bible says about something and acting upon what it says. And here is a good place to mention Psalm 111:10 again which says:
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever! - Psalm 111:10 (ESV)
Once we have an idea that we need to pursue Biblical wisdom, we must understand that it starts with “the fear of the LORD.” Jesus Christ Himself helps us to understand this concept:
5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! - Luke 12:5 (ESV)
Fearing God does not mean running and hiding from Him because He acts like an irrational, angry earthly father. No, fearing God means to understand and respect who He is. It means to believe what the Bible says about Him. He is our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. He is the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end. He is a consuming fire. He is holy and righteous. He is love. And He has the power and authority to judge us for our sins and to send us to hell.
Understanding these things - having a healthy fear of the Lord - is the beginning of Biblical wisdom. And this is what we are supposed to pursue.
“And whatever you get, get insight”
Tagged onto the end of this admonition concerning wisdom is this instruction: “and whatever you get, get insight.”
Along with the pursuit of Biblical wisdom, we need to make sure that we also do not forget to “get insight.” In fact, this is central to the writer’s overall purpose of this particular set of proverbs as we are reminded in verse 1:
Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight. - Proverbs 4:1 (ESV)
And insight can be defined as:
“A clear, deep, and sometimes sudden understanding of a complicated problem or situation.”
Based on this definition, it is easy to see why the admonitions to “get wisdom” and to “get insight” are paired together. They go together like a hand and a glove. Insight is the clear understanding needed so that wisdom can be properly applied.
Application
It has been said that our lives are the sum total of our decisions.
The extent to which this saying is accurate multiplies our need for wisdom. Life is tough, but bad decisions serve to make things much tougher for us than they need to be. Choosing a path of Biblical wisdom does not mean that all of our problems will be avoided, but many can be. Proverbs 8 and 9 help us to understand this through the personified examples of wisdom and folly.
The “Way of Folly” is described this way:
13 The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. - Proverbs 9:13-18 (ESV)
Folly sits at the door of her house and loudly calls to those who pass by her way. Those who are most susceptible to her calls are those who are “simple” and “who lack sense.” And “her guests” - those who respond to her call - “are in the depths of Sheol.”
Wisdom also calls to those who pass by they way:
1Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold. - Proverbs 8:1-10 (ESV)
The description of Wisdom in Proverbs 8 (and continuing into Proverbs 9) is fascinating and makes clear the practical benefits of seeking and obeying this way:
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.” - Proverbs 8:32-36 (ESV)
Seeking to follow after Wisdom means finding blessing, finding life and obtaining favor from the LORD. Failing to follow this way - i.e. pursuing Folly instead - is equated with hating God and those who goes this route surely find injury and love death.
Our passage for today tells us to “get wisdom” and Proverbs 8 and 9 make clear the benefits of pursuing wisdom and forsaking folly. It seems that anyone in their right mind would want this wisdom and would do whatever is necessary to get it. And, amazingly, this wisdom can be obtained. It is accessible to all.
We need wisdom in all areas of our lives. If we are teachers, we need wisdom in the classroom. If we operate heavy machinery, we need wisdom as we work the machines. If we are accountants or lawyers, we need wisdom in serving our clients. All of us need all sorts of wisdom for whatever is going on in our lives.
But the wisdom being mentioned here is different. It is the wisdom that spreads over every part of our lives. That’s why I like to refer to this type of wisdom as Biblical wisdom, which was defined above as:
Biblical wisdom means understanding what the Bible says about something and acting upon what it says.
Biblical wisdom means applying God and His word to every situation in our lives and the first step to having this sort of wisdom is knowing Him through His Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
And knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord is indeed the wisest thing that we could ever do in our lives.
As Proverbs 8:35 tells us, “whoever finds me finds life.”
But Biblical wisdom does begin and end once we have a relationship with Jesus Christ. No, it is just beginning and it is accessible to us for every day of our lives and for every area of our lives. James reminds us:
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. - James 1:5 (ESV)
Life is hard. We face lots of tough decisions. And these decisions are made tougher because of the consequences created by the mistakes of ourselves and others. Unfortunately, this will not totally disappear this side of heaven because we live in a fallen, sinful world.
But we don’t have to face this world and its tough decisions and consequences alone. We have access to wisdom and the first step to acquiring this wisdom comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. After that, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we have access to the everyday Biblical wisdom that God has promised.