True Wisdom For All II

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

7-12 If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face;

    confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.

So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;

    all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.

But if you correct those who care about life,

    that’s different—they’ll love you for it!

Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;

    tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it.

Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,

    insight into life from knowing a Holy God.

It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,

    and the years of your life ripen.

Live wisely, and wisdom will permeate your life;

    mock life, and life will mock you.

-Proverbs 9:7-12 The Message

7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,

    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;

    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11 For by me your days will be multiplied,

    and years will be added to your life.

12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Verses 7-10 studies: How do you see yourself, a scoffer or a wise person? You can tell which one you are by how you respond to criticism. Instead of throwing back jabs, put-downs, or a clever retort, listen to what is being said. Learn from your critics; it’s a path to wisdom, and it’s the beginning of knowing God. God knows life, so why not get the facts of life from him? But to know God and not just know facts about him is also standing with him in awe and having a relationship with him. So if you want to be wise, get to know God better every day.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

-James 1:5 ESV

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2 Peter 1:2-4 ESV