Title: Blessed are the Wise!

Scripture Text: Prov 8:10-11; 32-36

Objective: To realize that wisdom is the key to a real, successful, and blessed life. (8:34,35)

Introduction:

“What’s the worst advice you have been given?”

[VIDEO CLIP – WORD ON THE STREET: THE WORST ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN]

Everyone has their own opinions. And with freedom of speech and all that, everyone has a right to air
their opinions. But with today’s twisted morals, if we fail to recognize a wise advice from a wrong
advice, we lose. With all of the struggles and challenges we face in life, if we fail to wisen up, we will
lose.

Understanding what Wisdom is:

The words written in the bible contain not only the things we need to know in order to get to heaven,
but also those that we need to know while living here on earth.

“Wisdom” is the word for Jesus’ prayer “on earth as it is in heaven.”

It is the biblical term for this on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of
living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves. It has virtually nothing to do
with information as such, with knowledge as such. A college degree is no certification of
wisdom – nor is it primarily concerned with keeping us out of moral mud puddles, although it
does have a profound moral effect upon us.

Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children,
handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, Comment [U1]: Current national issue: RH Bill
using words well and treating our friends kinldy, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating
emotions within ourselves and attitudes towards others that make for peace. Threaded through
all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most
practical thing we do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes
precedence over God.

(from Eugene H. Peterson, The Old Testament Wisdom Books, The Message introduction on
Proverbs)

Blessed are the Wise – Page 1

In Hebrew:

WISE , SKILLED –
chakam (adj)

WISDOM –
chokmah (noun)

chokmah
OT:2451,
"wisdom;
experience;
shrewdness."

This word appears

141 times in the
Old Testament.
Like chakam, most
occurrences of
this word are in
Job, Proverbs, and
Ecclesiastes.

The chakam seeks

after chokmah, "wisdom." Like chakam, the word chokmah can refer to technical skills or
special abilities in fashioning something. The first occurrence of chokmah is in Ex [Link] "And
thou shalt speak unto all that are wisehearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that
they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the
priest's office." This first occurrence of the word in the Hebrew Bible bears this out as well as the
description of the workers on the tabernacle. The artisan was considered to be endowed with
special abilities given to him by God: "And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" Ex 35:31.

Chokmah is the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune time. Comment [U2]: BIBLE STORY: Solomon makes a
wise ruling (1 Kings 3:16-28)
The consistency of making the right choice is an indication of maturity and development.

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson
Publishers.)

Blessed are the Wise – Page 2

King Solomon could have ruled in a different way, but he was able to give a wise ruling because he was
filled with wisdom from God.

Illustration: The Tangram (sometimes also known as the “Seven pieces of cleverness”)

The tangram (Chinese: 七巧板; pinyin: qī qiǎo bǎn; literally "seven boards of skill") is a dissection puzzle
consisting of seven flat shapes, called tans, which are put together to form shapes. The objective of the
puzzle is to form a specific shape (given only an outline or silhouette) using all seven pieces, which may
not overlap. It was originally invented in China at some unknown point in history, and then carried over
to Europe by trading ships in the early 19th century. It became very popular in Europe for a time then,
and then again during World War I. It is one of the most popular dissection puzzles in the world.[1][2]
-Wikipedia

Standard pieces, standard quantity, different shapes, thousands of possibilities

You can try to fit one piece in a certain place, but if it’s not the right place for it, the figure will not be
completed.

In relation to wisdom:

Life offers a lot of choices and possibilities. We have to figure out the wisest course to take in order to
make our life here on earth good.

There are thousands of possibilites and choices in life, but only one right decision that will fit the piece
into the puzzle –a God-given wisdom for that certain situation. Sometimes you think it’s impossible to
fit any of the pieces in the puzzle, but that is “leaning on your own understanding”. When you finally
see the bigger picture as God sees it, then you will know that each piece fits perfectly in its proper place.
God intends for us to live life to the full while here on earth (John 10:10), and living to the full means
experiencing both the good and the bad, but with godly wisdom to guide us through it.

So how do we attain wisdom?

1.) Fear God. (Pre-requisite of wisdom)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.” Prov 9:10 NIV

“How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord!” Prov 1:7 TLB

• Have you accepted Jesus Christ in your heart as your personal Lord & Savior?
• How do we “fear the Lord?” – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil…” Prov.813 NIV
• Desire to follow and imitate God as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, without self-
reliance and especially not in a spirit of pride.

Blessed are the Wise – Page 3

 2.) Continue learning.
“…a wise person will listen and continue to learn…” Prov 1:5a GWT
“… the wise man also may hear and increase in learning, and the man of understanding acquire
skill…” Prov. 1:5a RSV
“ Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his
learning.” Prov 9:9 NIV
QUESTION: How have you [developed yourself] lately?

Refer to the diagram below.

“If the arrows of your life – your frontiers, your questions, your interests, your mental energies –
move [inward], then you are in the process of dying. But the arrows in your life are moving
[outward], then you are developing. This has nothing to do with your age, incidentally – and
everything to do with your attitude.”

vs.

(Diagram adapted from Teaching to Change Lives, Howard Hendricks)

Growing is something even Jesus did.

• Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom (intellect) and stature (physical), and in favor with God
(spiritual) and men (social).”

Spiritual development is just part of the larger process. It can’t be our sole concern. Spiritual growth
should not be compartmentalized, but integrated with every other aspect of life. ([Link])

Here are some suggestions of how you can continue growing in the 4 dimensions of life:

Blessed are the Wise – Page 4

 INTELLECTUAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL SPIRITUAL
1. Read, read, read! 1. Adopt a healthy 1. Widen your social 1. Do the EPHOD 10
2. Enroll in continuing lifestyle – balanced circle. Do you have point plan.
education courses. diet, exercise, get friends in different
3. Hone your craft. enough sleep. age groups? >Daily Bible reading
>Weekly Scripture Memorization
2. Keep a positive 2. Do not completely >Sunday School/Worship
Prov.19:8; 22:29 outlook – avoid detach yourselves >Weekly Carecell/Fellowship
>Devotional Journal
toxic thoughts. from unbelievers.
>Pray & Fast One Meal Each
3. Know your stressors Even Jesus Week
and learn how to socialized with >Sharing & Witnessing Jesus
manage them. “sinners.” (Isolation >Tithes and Offering
>Daily Prayer & Worship Time
vs. Insulation. ) Do >Take Notes in All Services
you have any
‘unsaved’ friends?

So, ask yourself: “How am I doing in these 4 areas?” Remember, “the unexamined life is not worth
living.” (H. Hendricks)

3.) Listen to wise counsel.

[VIDEO CLIP – WORD ON THE STREET: WHO DO YOU GET ADVICE FROM?]

“ The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will
acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that he may be able to steer his course
rightly]” Prov 1:5 AMP

“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” Prov.12:15 NIV

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” Prov.19:20 NIV

In our bible reading plan this past week, we read about two kings who asked for advice. Let us
look into it further and try to compare the way they handled those advices:

• Rehoboam listened to bad counsel. (1 Kings 12)

• Jehoshaphat sought good (godly) counsel. (1 Kings 22; 2 Kings 3)

Blessed are the Wise – Page 5

 To evaluate advice, ask if it is:
- Realistic
- Workable
- Consistent with biblical principles

Before following an advice, consider if the results following the advice will be fair, will make
improvements, and will it give a positive solution or direction?

Advice is only helpful if it is consistent with God’s standards.

Seek counsel from those who are more experienced and wiser. -LASB Notes

QUESTION: Who do you turn to for advice?

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Prov.13:20 NIV

It is important to surround ourself with godly men and women who can give us wise counsel.
Similarly, it is important also for us to develop ourselves in the 4 areas of life as discussed in the
previous point so that you may also be able to give wise counsel to those who look up to you.

Conclusion:

The Benefits / Advantages of Wisdom:

1. Protection – Prov.2:12-22
2. Long life
3. Prosperity (Prov.8:18-21) Prov.3:1-4, 13-18
4. Favor of God (Prov.8:35)
5. Favor with man
6. Good reputation
7. Peace - Prov.3:17, 23-26

Blessed are the Wise – Page 6