v5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
The wise are listeners. I realized a long time ago that people who are always talking are never the brightest in the room. When you are talking you are speaking from what you know, or think you know, and not taking in information. You cannot output and input at the same time. A person that listens is a person that is learning. Listening is a great skill that allows the wise to grow, but it starts by hearing what is being said. My mother-in-law asked me a question many years ago when my wife and I just began dating. She asked, “Why are you so quiet?” I never really thought about it so I didn’t have an answer for her until the following day. I explained to her that I don’t learn when I’m talking. I like to study situations and environments. I believe, even during that time, I was subconsciously studying the environment that my wife (girlfriend at the time) was in. I was really feeling out based on her home, family, environment and how they interacted in relationships, if she was truly the one (including all that she came with) to be my wife and partner in life.
I learn a great deal by listening and observing. This scripture goes further to say, that an understanding man is striving towards wise counsel. So the understanding man puts himself in the position to hear from wise counsel and people that he recognizes as wise. He submits himself to learn from them. Not talking or speaking out of what he knows, but learning and soaking in their wisdom. He then too will one day be considered wise and others will benefit from his wisdom.
So the first step is to be wise enough to hear. The person who understands that puts themselves in the position to learn from wise people. It takes understanding to submit yourself or to stand under another to receive from them. I recognize that this can be a great challenge for many. Sometimes we deceive ourselves with our “know-it-all” attitude. Yet great benefit and elevation can come by allowing others who have learned to teach us. We must be hearers first, to gain knowledge and wisdom.
v7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Very clearly, this is where true knowledge comes from, fearing the Lord. It begins with having a reverence for Him. He is omniscient. He is all the knowledge in the universe. He knows all. So in order to begin to know things we must look to our Lord, the Source of all knowledge. Those who reject Him already have erred because they reject the knowledge contained in Him. Trusting in the Lord’s wisdom helps us to uncover many of the great mysteries in life as well as the mysteries within ourselves. He has the answers to all our questions. His instructions help us to uncover hidden knowledge. The foolish reject His knowledge because their knowledge seems to be of greater value. Foolish people are unwilling to see things from a different side because of their rejection of what they don’t know. I’ve realized a long time ago that I really don’t know crap (to put it plainly). And the more I’ve continued to learn and grow, I have come to realize that my knowledge continues to be limited. As I’ve matured I’ve accepted my increasingly limited knowledge. This is why I find it so comforting to know that i have a relationship and great connection with He who knows. People may look at me, and even admire me in certain areas. Yet I will be the first to admit that I don’t take too much credit for what things and areas in my life that has worked for my benefit. To put it bluntly, I have become wiser in my little “crap” knowledge, because I look to Him, to lean on Him, to rely on Him for the unending knowledge he possesses. His knowledge is so much better than my own, or anyone else’s for that matter. As the Lord reminds us in Isaiah 55:8,9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” So I ask, “Why would anyone reject that?”
v8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
v9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Our parents are our first sources of learning. Whether good or bad, our parents are our first teachers. Our first lessons of life come as result of their teachings. Absent or present, lessons are being extracted and have great impact on our lives. They teach us by what we are exposed to even as infants. We learn from watching and listening to them. It’s important that we extract as many lessons that we can from our parents as it will help us on our path to success. Our parents can also be viewed as early guides for our life. From them we learn good and bad, what to do and what not not to do.
I love my parents dearly and have learned many great things from them. I’ve avoided some pitfalls because I’ve learned from things I saw them experience. As parents we need to be as transparent as possible. Our children can benefit from the lessons we teach them as a result of the errors we made in life. Preparing our children with this foreknowledge concerning these issues, mistakes and mishaps, makes it easier for them to avoid such pitfalls. We would have helped them to be alert to those pesky things we refer to in our family line as generational curses. We in turn would have also equipped them to instead reap those generational blessings.
v24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
v25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
v26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
When the Lord calls us, refusal is counter-productive. The Lord gives us each opportunity after opportunity to take notice and to heed His counsel, instructions or directives. Our duty is to hold on to His wise counsel and move according to His will before we find ourselves in those nasty situations of calamity and messes He’ll laugh about. Also, we shouldn’t seek out our Father and Lord only when we are in trouble. He is our absolutely most important relationship, a very integral part of our lives. He doesn’t want to be used as an emergency plan. He is our lifestyle, lifetime plan. If we just turn to Him when there is a problem, the scripture cautions us that He (Wisdom) will not hear our cry. He doesn’t operate on our schedule, but we need to have that consistent relationship with Him to operate on His schedule. We must be close to Him so we don’t have far to call out to Him. A true relationship with Him has lifetime benefits which can also help us to evade many of the problems that we would have been calling out to Him for.
Lessons For Life – Proverbs 1
Posted by: samuelstewart at 00:00, June 20 2010.
Video Synopsis: Samuel, Josiah and Josiah is holding Asadel. Proverbs is my favorite book. Read a proverb at least three times a day. Make that time and effort and will learn so much. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. A fool despises wisdom and instruction. Do not feel bad when you have to be corrected because you are not learning what you can do right or how to make a situation better. Be open to correction. Receive it. Do not reject it and close your mind. That is what a fool does. Even if the Word corrects you, receive it.
