Year 5, Day 299: Proverbs 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Guidance

• Guidance: God grants us His guidance.  Sometimes this guidance is God leading us away from temptation.  Sometimes this guidance is helping us to follow in a direction for which He has chosen.  Our default position should be to wait for God’s guidance and then follow when it comes.

I find Proverbs 8 a welcome change to Proverbs 6-7.  In fact, I think one of my favorite verses in this chapter is Proverbs 8:12.  Yesterday I spoke on what happens to us when we impulsively let appetite rule our life.  But look at what this verse says.  Wisdom dwells with prudence.  Wisdom seeks knowledge and discretion.

I love the juxtaposition of these two concepts.  Appetite over anything, not just sex, seeks immediate fulfillment.  Appetite cannot fill us meaningfully because it reaches out for whatever it can find and see that is appealing. 

But in this proverb we learn that true wisdom – genuine fulfillment – comes from living prudently.  True wisdom doesn’t reach out for everything that looks entertaining or exciting.  True wisdom pauses and considers what will truly lead to fulfillment.  True wisdom plans, considers, and prudently steps out to find fulfillment.

True wisdom also seeks knowledge and discretion.  True wisdom isn’t involved in everything.  True wisdom seeks to study and learn before making decisions.  True wisdom stops and plans where we can have a lasting impact rather than trying to do everything.  Wisdom looks for discretion before acting rather than impulsively going out to gorge itself on what appears appealing.

In the end, what we see here is that one of the benefits of wisdom is in its guidance.  When we are seeking true wisdom, we will find guidance.  When we seek true wisdom we will be patient, seek knowledge, and act with discretion about what we are truly being called to do.

<><