Proverbs 10:14: What am I hoarding?

Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14

Wise: ethically and religiously

Store up: "treasure up" a thing, hoard

Mouth: according to the measure of, in accordance with

Foolish: to be perverse

Knowledge: perception, skill

Near: imminent

Destruction: dismaying, ruin, terror.

Treasure up. Hoard. 

Stuff. We all accumulate stuff. The Castle has a car and a half garage. Which gives us room to store stuff. Some of it is worthy of keeping, some of it really is not. But since we "have the room", it stays on the shelf. 

The other day, we had to move a few boxes around, and as I was reading the content labels, I thought to myself, "Why are we keeping this?" Sometimes I thought of a good answer, "Sentimental value." Other times, I had no reason, except that we have the room, so why not keep it? 

Treasure up. I've discussed the concept of "treasure up" a few times as it relates to wisdom. #TreasureUp

You can read them here: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/search/label/%23TreasureUp

Wise people store up knowledge. Wise people. That is a description that I'd like applied to me. I want to be known as a "wise person". But before others can see wisdom in my attitudes and actions, I must hoard up wisdom. For if it's not stored up, then it cannot be used. 

Wise people. Treasure up. Hoard. The store house must be prepared for the wisdom, and that begins with a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). For a heart that fears God is one ready to receive wisdom from God. 

Wise people. Treasure up. Hoard. What am I hoarding? 

Proverbs 8:4, 5: Am I willing to listen and learn?

“To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart." Proverbs 8:4, 5

Simple: needing, "open minded", deceive, flatter

Understand: consider, diligent, discern

Fools: confidence in bad sense, silly, 

Heart: mind

Wisdom is directing her attention to those who disregard wisdom and sound advice. She wants the foolish to hear and quit ignoring the advice given. 

I bought a bread mix and decided to try my parent's bread machine. I hooked it up and carefully read the instructions. I put in the ingredients and turned the machine on and waited. And waited. And waited. However, when I went to check the machine.... NOTHING had happened. Frustrating. 

I am not an expert on Bread Machines. This is the first time I've used one. But I THOUGHT I had read the directions carefully. Yet, the machine didn't work. 

Wisdom tells me two things. 1. I didn't hook the machine up right. 2. The machine is broken. 

Wisdom also tells me that before I throw the machine out, I need to check to see if I assembled the machine wrong. That is the first place to check, since I this is a new endeavor for me. I can't blame the machine, if I did something wrong. 

The same is true in other aspects of my life. Before making decisions I need to check with Wisdom. I need to know the instructions of how to proceed. And if things don't go how I think they should, I need to check back with Wisdom to see if I did something wrong. If not, then I need to continue learning from Wisdom so that I can respond appropriately and learn from the situation. 

Wisdom is wanting to teach me. Wisdom is available and ready to teach. The key is, "Am I willing to listen and learn?" The foolish one says, "No thanks, I'll do this without instruction and see where it leads me." 

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 

A deep sense of reverence for God will open my heart and ears to what Wisdom has to say. And it will also create a desire to put that Wisdom into practice.  Am I willing to listen and learn? Or will be foolish and ignore sound advice?

Proverbs 1:20-22: Will I hear?

Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words: “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Proverbs 1:20-22

Calls aloud: a ringing cry, cry aloud, in summons, exhortation

Love simplicity: object folly, evil, etc.

Delight: in bad sense of inordinate, ungoverned, selfish desire, take pleasure in

Fools: stupid fellow, dullard

Knowledge: discernment, understanding, wisdom: in highest sense, knowledge of God (including obedience)

Love one. Hate the other. 

Love selfish desire. Hate wisdom and obedience to God. 

It's one or the other, the two do not mix. 

Wisdom is crying out: "How long? Until when? You stupid one, who love evil, how long will you continue fulfilling selfish desire?"

An alarm is sounding! Yet, sadly the fools have turned a deaf ear to it. 

How often do I choose folly, evil desires rather than obeying God? How often do I ignore Wisdom shouting at me to change, yet I turn a deaf ear and continue in the ways of sin? 

I'm so grateful that God in His wisdom does SHOUT to get my attention. I'm so thankful that even when I make the wrong choice, God in His grace and mercy is forgiving and loving. 

In order to hear Wisdom shouting above the enticement of sin, my heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). And when I have reverence for God, I'll want to listen to and follow after Wisdom. Wisdom is crying aloud—will I hear? 

Proverbs 1:7: Knowing with Action

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)

Fear: fear of God, reverence, piety

Beginning: first phase, step, or element in course of events

Knowledge: in highest sense, knowledge of God (including obedience)

Fools: (always morally bad), who despises wisdom & discipline

Despise: despise, show despite toward (Wisdom Literature & poetry) 

Wisdom: ethical and religious

Instruction:  discipline (of the moral nature), chastening, correction

If wisdom is the goal, the only way to achieve it, is to START at the BEGINNING—the very first step is to FEAR GOD. Having a reverence for who God is, what He can do, and what He does do—is the foundation on which to build wisdom. 

Why is it so important to begin with the "fear of God"? Because God is the source of all wisdom. He is all-knowing, omniscient. God is the standard by which everything is judged. Morally, Spiritually, and Ethically. 

Notice that this knowledge is not just "head knowledge", but INCLUDES obedience! That is key. Just because you KNOW may make you seem smart, but unless there is obedience that follows you are actually a fool. For knowing and knowing with action are two different things. Knowing that the stove it hot is smart. NOT touching the stove, because you KNOW the stove is hot, is wisdom. 

Can one have wisdom and still be a fool? I think, the answer is "yes". One day I may have a reverence for God and act in obedience to His will and wisdom, but the next day, sadly, I may decide to do it "Rhonda's way". And each time I do, I am acting as a fool. 

But thankfully, God is gracious and merciful and allows forgives me of my foolishness and begins to teach me again so that I can grow in wisdom. 

Having a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG) is NOT done by just saying that I fear God. Fearing God must translate into obedience.  Wisdom is knowing with action—and the first action is Fearing God! 

Proverbs 1:6: Understand the Words of the Wise

To understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. Proverbs 1:6

The verb "to Understand" means be intelligent, discreet, discerning, perceive, have understanding.

Proverb: sentences of ethical wisdom

Enigma: satire, a mocking poem

Words: saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse

Wise: principles and collections of wisdom

Riddles: allegorical and figurative sayings, perplexing saying or question

Know. Receive. Give. Hear. Increase Learning. Attain. All results in Understanding. 

Proverbs 1:2-6 (NKJV)

2 To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding,

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity;

4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion—

5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles.

In Proverbs 1:6, notice whose words you are to understand—The WISE. That is key. For if one listens to the unwise or fools, that will lead to—destruction (Proverbs 1:32). 

How does one differentiate from wise and fools; for often the fools speak with "flowering words" or words that sound wonderful. First of all, one must develop a heart with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). That opens the heart to knowing, receiving, hearing, increasing in learning, and attaining. And that leads to fearing the Lord (Proverbs 1:7), but that verse will study next time.