Fools despise wisdom and instruction

“The complacency of fools destroys them, but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (Proverbs 1:32,33).

May we help each other to have ears ready to listen, and therefore be at ease.

“Fools despise wisdom and instruction”

Today we start reading “the proverbs of Solomon” (verse 1) and the key verse that jumps out into our eyes is

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (verse 7).

Our minds should be filled with awe as to all that God must be! It is the beginning or foundation of wise thinking. The plea of Solomon is,

“Hear my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching” (verse 8).

The acceptance and absorption into our minds of such teaching and instruction is like wearing “a graceful garland” – yet today how many parents are able and willing to teach true wisdom to their children? If they are able and willing – their children are surrounded by counter influences – but the need for “wisdom and instruction” has never been greater.

The message contains a strong warning about the ‘opposite’ to true wisdom, the attitude of those who have no time for God – so the blunt warning is made,

“if sinners entice you do not consent” (verse 10).

Virtually no one thinks of themselves as being a ‘sinner’ these days, sin is an obsolete word! But there is no middle course; the book of Proverbs makes this plain, if you are not on God’s side seeking his will and guidance in making your pathway in life, you are against him.

Wisdom is personified and “cries aloud” – at the same time “scoffers delight in their scoffing” (verses 20,22). But ‘wisdom’ says,

“If you turn at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you” (verse 23)

and we can see that God’s Spirit has led to the Bible being written and preserved and our daily feeding on God’s Word will guide our lives.

The chapter fittingly concludes,

“the complacency of fools destroys them, but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster”.

May we help each other to have ears ready to listen.

– The Christadelphian

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Bible Journal: Proverbs 4 (unholyignorance.wordpress.com)
Perhaps we’ve somehow mixed up the wisdom writings of the Old Testament with the Law, and have tricked ourselves into believing it doesn’t apply post-Christ. Or maybe we think of it as “not very spiritual”; perhaps a bit too practical.
Studies In Proverbs Every Monday At The Mission (silvercitygospelmission.org)
We all need wisdom to live successfully. Wisdom brings success and prosperity in our work, in dealings with family and friends, and in our relationship with God.
Then You Will Understand (mikesansone.com)
What is the fear of the Lord? It is the instruction of wisdom. AND before honor is humility. If we are to receive the honorable instruction, from the Word of God – The Bible, we first must humble ourselves in our approach and attitude, right?
3 sides of the Word of God (dailymedit.com)
We are not called to speak our own words but the words of God, and we are not supposed to yield to those who speaks words from their own spirit and not from God. Eve did not know that and she fell for the antics of the devil (Genesis 3). Jesus said we should careful how we hear (Luke 8:18). Yielding to the wrong persuasion leads to damning results. When Saul listened to his servants and spared some of the animal in the lands of the Amalekites, which God has said he should kill, he got into no small trouble (1Samuel 15).
‘Apples of Gold’ [The Right Word] (brokenbelievers.com)
There is a proper sense, a beautiful art in making the situation perfect. The wisdom comes in a conversation, and suddenly everything makes sense. There is a elegance that’s shared by everyone, and a dignity that the Holy Spirit bestows on our words. We only have to ask Him to bless what we say (or write.)
Perfection Through Obedience-Yet, Again (supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com)
We must begin by crying out for wisdom. We must hand over to our intellect the duty of making every decision. We must look for wisdom and search for it. Then we must understand the fear of the Lord.

“Fear” is not to be taken in the sense that common usage gives it. Fear in this ordinary sense is the trepidation our weak humanity feels when it is afraid of suffering something it does not want to happen. We are afraid, or made afraid, because of a guilty conscience, the rights of someone more powerful, an attack from one who is stronger, sickness, encountering a wild beast, suffering evil in any form. This kind of fear is not taught: it happens because we are weak. We do not have to learn what we should fear: objects of fear bring their own terror with them.
The 4 X 4 To Living A Full Life (runwright.net)
Our brains have the capacity not to expand in size, but to increase in power by forming new neurons – connections for learning and memory.

We have the ability to learn and remember infinite pieces of information, and the more we exercise our brains, the stronger they become and the more pieces of information we can learn and remember.
Our Wisdom Base (colesdailywalk.wordpress.com)
The Bible is the ultimate source for wisdom in this world. It is where all secrets and mysteries of the Kingdom of God begin to be revealed and well as the Lord’s plans (Jeremiah 33:2-3). The Bible is where our knowledge truly expands. It is where the beauty of life is displayed for all of us to see. We either have to accept it or reject it. I say to atheists, “The burden of proof is off me. The burden of acceptance is on you.” Make no mistake about it; the decision is a burden. However, it gets lifted once you say, ‘Yes’ to Our Lord and Savior. Here is the evidence: Jesus said it, Himself, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).” Once the burden of our fate is in the Lord’s hands, all that remains – as the Messiah said – is the learning part.
How to Identify True Friends (hillsbiblechurch.org)
As precious as the gift of friendship is though, one must never forget that great privilege of the child of God being called a friend of Christ (John 15:12-15). We are His friends because He chose us (John 15:16) and saved us from our sins. If you are a believer, know that no matter what may go on around you, no matter how lonely you may ever feel, Jesus calls you His friend. Prize that and honour Him.