Do Not Be Distracted

Proverbs 4:20-27:

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Focus. In one word that's what this passage in calling for. Over and over again Proverbs has given good advice for daily living. However, there will be little long term change if we are easily distracted. We should think hard about the decisions we make, use the wisdom given to us in scripture, and stay the course set out before us.

Misery Loves Company

Proverbs 4:16-19:

16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

Rebellion against God is addictive. After being warned against the influence of the wicked, it's more clear why. Like an older brother taking joy in teasing his little sister, there are some who rest better when they make others falter. What those outside of God's exposing light don't understand, is that they are falling the most.

Hold to the Unobstructed Path

Proverbs 4:10-15:

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

Again, wisdom is associated with long life. A parallel between the right and wrong path is made. The path of wisdom illuminates any obstructions, allowing the traveler to run. Wisdom reveals any troubles we may encounter, helping us to avoid them and excel. We aren't commanded to be weary on a dangerous path, instead we should avoid it always. Not sure how to take this advice and to humbly serve those cast out by society. After all Jesus spent most of his time with tax cheats and prostitutes. Perhaps this is an example of staying aware of who is doing the influencing.

The Wise Desire Wisdom

Proverbs 4:5-9:

5 Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."

Garland has been described before as wisdom from parents. Now it is described as a gift from wisdom herself. This helps to affirm the recent connection made between parents and generational wisdom. Here we are asked to trust in the value of wisdom, to cherish it and receive her benefits. The initial piece of wisdom needed is the desire to be wise.

Generational Education

Proverbs 4:1-4:

1 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.

Earlier, both here and here, wisdom's source has been directly from God, the Bible. However, in everyday life scripture is rarely our source for guidance. This does not mean practical insight and Godly wisdom are divided. Here the two come together in what we call family. From father to son, teaching is passed down through the generations. We listen and we learn from wise parents for the same reason we should from God, because they have the knowledge and our best interests in mind.

Strength in Humility

Proverbs 3:33-35:

33 The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.

God has already mentioned that the righteous will be given the "promised land". Here the two types of people are put side by side. It seems a little unnatural to clump the wicked and the scornful (or proud, as the NIV puts it). Personal pride is something not to be celebrated. It is often surprising how backwards God's value system is compared to this world's. The humble man is wise and the proud man is foolish.

Avoid Unneeded Conflict

Proverbs 3:30-32:

30 Do not contend with a man for no reason,when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence.

Something I grew up believing is that a real man is ready for a fight at any time. Whether that's a physical fight or more often an intellectual battle, a man's honor is defended in conflict. That said, these verses are very convicting. They suggest that conflict is inherently bad. Surely it is required sometimes. There are plenty of examples of God promoting both real battles and intellectual debates. Seeking out strife and glorifying violence are not respected characteristics. To create contention for the sake of contention is not wise.

Wisdom in Repaying and Giving

Proverbs 3:27-29:

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it"—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor,who dwells trustingly beside you.

This is the first bit of human relationship piece of wisdom given. Proverbs has already mentioned that wisdom comes from God and that this will improve our favor with both God and man. Here is a practical example of this. The rule seems obvious, yet how often is it not obeyed. These verses are clear, if you have the resources (whether financial or otherwise) you should give it to those who it is due. I wonder if it is incorrect to apply this verse to financial contracts? Before the recession it was in style to have more debt than was usually socially acceptable and now it is becoming more common to walk away from the obligations of that debt. Perhaps the call is to simply be generous with the "good" we do in the present.

Confident Assurance

Proverbs 3:21-26:

21 My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

This assurance of care should help us in when we lose sleep and worry about the future. Our confidence is not in our own strength or in our own foresight, it's in God's good plan. He will give us the wisdom we seek, he will protect our path, he will keep us from ruin. We have nothing to fear.

Purpose Driven Earth

Proverbs 3:19-20:

19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

It was not only "good", but purposeful that God created the world. Often I'm beaten down by the sin and sadness of this world. But the earth and the heavens were created with a purpose that will be met despite man's failure.