PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

“My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding” (Proverbs 5:1 KJV).

In chapter 5, Solomon begins in the first five verses, contrasting wisdom and wickedness.

TODAY’S VERSE:

“My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding” (Proverbs 5:1 KJV).

The Bible shows why most people will turn to wickedness rather than wisdom. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV).

Why do most people get caught up in wickedness? Solomon will show us:

What is easier for us to do? Voice our own opinion, or listen to someone else’s? It’s easier to tell everyone what you know. It takes a bit of humility, and patience, and character to listen. It’s harder for the flesh to listen to instruction. The flesh doesn’t like to be told what to do. You take a little kid. “Don’t do that!” That kid doesn’t want to hear that. It just irritates him! It grits on him, you know. Well, that’s the way we are. We don’t like anyone pointing their finger at us and telling us what to do. That’s the problem in America today, everyone wants their rights! Don’t tell me what to do! Don’t tell me where I can go and don’t tell me what I can do. Well, the more “rights” we have, the less “freedom” we have.

Solomon said, first of all, “bow thine ear.” Bow, humble yourself, bow down to wisdom. That takes humility. That is not a trait of the flesh. The flesh just doesn’t come with built in humility. Some people have been out of the will of the Lord for so long, they don’t know right from wrong, up from down, front from back, some of them don’t even know if they are saved. You ask some of them, why don’t you go to church anymore? “Well,” they say, “they are arrogant, I am humble.”

Humility is difficult to the flesh, it is bitterness.

“That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge” (Proverbs 5:2 KJV). Is the result of verse 1, “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding.” The first part of that is bitter, its’ hard; but the second half is sweet.

Daily Bible study is necessary if we are going to begin our day with the right attitude and the right spiritual diet. Proverbs has 31 chapters, and most months have 31 days, so let's read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let's keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread! Ideally, a chapter or two of Proverbs will fit in nicely with a good plan of reading our Bibles through each year.

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