Who
would like to be wise, to make wise decisions, to reason from the basis of
wisdom? To whom do we turn to learn
wisdom? Our parents? Our teachers?
Our philosophers? Writers? Statesmen and women?
Our
book, said to have been written by Solomon, son of King David of Israel, begins
by telling us why we should read it.
Eugene Petersen (see The Message) calls it a Manual for Living. I love how the New English Version of the
Bible tells us that the “purpose is to
teach wisdom and discipline” -
I
am reminded the saying “if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for
anything”, and we are certainly given some things to stand for right here from
chapter one.
·
Verse seven tells us to always start with God – “the beginning of
knowledge” is the fear (love) of God.
·
Verses ten to eighteen counsel that we watch who and what we associate
with, and resist the temptation to go along with the crowd.
·
Verse nineteen points out that greed implodes. “The more you get the
less you are” writes Petersen.
·
In verses twenty to twenty-five we are told that wisdom “crieth” by
making it obvious that “simplicity” (ignorance) and “scorn” (cynicism) are
certainly not helpful attitudes, and that those who “hate knowledge” (are not
ready to buckle down and learn) are foolish.
The
scene is set. We’d better pay attention,
because carelessness and complacency bring calamity.
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