Wait and watch

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.” ~Proverbs 8:34-36 NASB

Wisdom herself speaks in these verses, as she does throughout this chapter. These three verses offer several key insights:

Listening to wisdom brings blessing. Because wisdom is contained in the living, active word of God, this means you will receive blessings as you read and meditate on scripture.

Watching daily at wisdom’s gates and waiting by the doorposts both speak to expectation and eagerness. Do you come to the scriptures expecting to see Jesus? When you read the Bible, do you expect to encounter Truth that will change you? As you practice memorizing Bible verses, do you expect that your actions will be changed by the words you internalize? Are you eager to live out what you read, study and memorize?

Finding wisdom carries with it the promise of finding life, and obtaining God’s favor. Eternal life is to be found in the words of the Bible. The Lord’s favor rests upon you as you pursue his living and eternal word.

Did you know that you can sin against wisdom? This passage warns of injury when doing so. Hatred of wisdom is equated here with a love of death.

Have you made a commitment to wait eagerly and expectantly for the Lord each day? You can, and many blessings will be yours as you invest yourself in the word of God. May he abundantly bless your quiet time today!

God won’t hide from you

At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. ~Proverbs 7:6-9 NIV

This describes a young man, lacking in common sense, strolling along toward the home of a woman of ill repute. He has chosen to take his walk at dusk, just as the sun is setting.

He hopes in vain that his movements will be covered by darkness. But the young man knows the outcome, despite his naivete.

Psalm 10:11 says, “He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”” But you are seen by God, no matter where you are, or what you are doing.

ln verse 23, later in these Proverbs, it tells what happens in the end: “…little knowing it will cost him his life.”

Perhaps you feel like the youth without sense. If so, you may need to find a quiet place to pray. God will not hide from you!

What should the wicked expect?

A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth. He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers. Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it. Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy. ~Proverbs 6:12-15 AMP

Do you know a person who seems to be continually surrounded by strife and dissension? This passage describes someone who continually and purposefully undermines others, spreading false rumors, staying up late at night to plot chaos. They are the definition of trouble to others.

Such a person is worthless and wicked, according to these verses. Severe punishment awaits such a man or woman. It will come suddenly; unexpectedly. There will be no escape from the Lord’s justice when it arrives.

In contrast, consider the fruits of the Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Are you a person in whom others see the fruit of the Spirit? Or are you more like the one described in Proverbs 6? As a Christian, it would seem wise to consider your thoughts, words, and actions in light of these passages.

Without repentence, wicked people face destruction, without remedy. But in Christ, they, too, can enjoy forgivess and eternal life.

As you seek the Lord in your quiet time today, ask him to let others see in you the fruit of the Spirit — evidence of your redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you do know someone who fits the description in Proverbs 6, pray for them. God loves them, too, despite their wicked heart and bad behavior.

Take the long view

Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. ~Proverbs 24:19-20 ESV

Have you ever wondered why immoral, greedy, self-centered, egotistical, law-breaking people who do truly bad things sometimes experience great worldly success? This passage encourages you to stop concerning yourself with what wicked people do and have.

In 2 Timothy 4:7-9 the apostle Paul explains the hope of every Jesus follower:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

A Christian has God’s promise of eternal life. Evildoers have no such hope. There is nothing — nothing — for a believer to envy about wicked people. While they may appear to prosper for a time, in the long run, they will not.

So when this passage assures you that the wicked have no future, that should be all you need to know. Not only is there nothing for them in the future, God himself promises to extinguish the lamps of those who fail to repent of their rebellion against Jesus Christ.

Rather than waste your time today musing about why some bad people have a good life, think about a person you know who does not believe Jesus Christ is God. Pray for their salvation. Ask the Lord to reveal himself in his great mercy to that person. Jesus would do no less.

Only by wisdom

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. ~Proverbs 8:14-18 KJV

Proverbs chapter 8 gives an incredible description of wisdom, personifying her, and explaining that wisdom was present even at the creation. Just in these few verses, there is much to be learned about godly wisdom.

Isaiah 11:1-2 describes the Messiah as he rules over the earth sometime in the future. His powers sound very much like wisdom, as it is described here in Proverbs 8:

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

In verse 15, the word explains that authorities rule justly only by application of godly wisdom. Solomon’s prayer requesting wisdom from God pleased the Lord. Many refer to him as the wisest king ever to live, and his rule may have been a picture of Messiah’s wise administration yet to come. But Jesus will reign over his kingdom with perfect wisdom.

Wisdom rewards those who love her. And reward is promised to those who seek wisdom early. This can also be understood as those who seek her diligently. Just as Mary Magdalene rose early in the morning to seek her Lord — and found him — those who seek early and diligently for godly wisdom will discover her.

As you seek the Lord today in your personal Bible and prayer time, ask yourself: Am I experiencing rewards because I am pursuing wisdom? Are those in authority over me ruling with the benefit of godly wisdom? Am I seeking wisdom early, and expectantly?

May God abundantly reward your diligent seeking after his wisdom.