By Alan Turner
“Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways. (Proverbs 8:32, NKJV)
For many years I managed a large number of staff who, given their age, life experiences and confident talk, would reasonably be presumed to have learned some valuable lessons, and have a mature and wise response to the issues that their job and their lives would present them. The fact was that many made decisions that were not in their best interests or of those around them. They had failed to listen to their experiences or the advice received, or to learn. Indeed, they would often fail to listen to good advice when it was given.
Solomon offers us the wisdom of his ways in the early verses of chapter 8 and we should be encouraged to take note:
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors: “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. (Proverbs 8:1-10, NKJV)
Solomon tells us that wisdom is there for all of us and in these early verses of Chapter 8 he makes it clear that wisdom is crying out for us to take notice. It is all around us if we will just take notice. Wisdom is valued above silver and gold. He advises prudence and warns against foolishness, encouraging us to, “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.” (Proverbs 8:6, 7, NKJV)
Wisdom is crying out for us to take notice.
In verse 32 Solomon offers us a blessing if we will listen to him. What does he want us to do? Take notice of the advice of the early verses of this chapter. Pay attention to wisdom.
Against that advice is the influence of the devil who wants us to think that we will somehow lose by listening to wisdom and keeping her ways. The devil is too often victorious. Let us turn deaf ears to the devil and listen to, and be obedient to, the wisdom offered by Solomon; the wisdom given to him by God.
I identify two messages for us:
· The first and obvious message is for us to pay attention to the guidance of Solomon’s wisdom as it is recorded in entirety of the book of Proverbs. He says, “ ... keep my ways”.
· The second is for us to realise that Solomon’s message comes to us through him from God who granted wisdom to him. We need to realise that we must listen to God whose ultimate message is one of salvation. We must seek His guidance and be prepared to listen. Use His guidance to assist us to keep to the narrow path. Let’s not be like my former staff who failed to listen to good advice, who failed to learn, and who made poor decisions without guidance. Let’s not refuse to talk to Him. Let’s not refuse His grace and mercy. Let us take notice and be thankful for all we have and receive, even to our very lives. Be thankful that we choose to live a life with God and spend time in His presence each day.
And now comes the reward Solomon promises for our obedience in listening to him and following his guidance .......
“ ….. blessed are those who keep my ways” (Proverbs 8:32b, NKJV)
We will be blessed by our Father in heaven.