Proverbs Purpose #3: To Live Wisely

To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness, justice, and equity (Prov 1:3, ESV)

We’ve already seen that the first purpose of Proverbs is to know wisdom, and the second is to recognize those who speak it. Solomon’s third purpose now gets very practical.

We are not simply to know true facts about God, people, or the world. It also is not sufficient that we be capable of pointing out actual examples of wisdom or foolishness in the culture around us. Rather, we must be people who live out of the wisdom given to us.

Where verse 2 focuses on the mental component of wisdom, verse 3 focuses on the moral component of wisdom. Wisdom that remains in the realm of ideas, factoids, or experiential principles is not truly wisdom. It must instead seep out of our fingertips and infect everything we do. It translates to action (wise dealing): doing the right thing before God (righteousness), responding appropriately to circumstances (justice), and treating other people without favoritism (equity).

Taking what God teaches us and putting it into practice is a major theme throughout Scripture. Prior to Solomon’s day, Moses and David had already declared it.

Moses: “Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them [the commandments], that it may go well with you” (Deut 6:3).

David: “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2)

After Solomon’s day, the New Testament epistles frequently repeat it. For example:

Paul: “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified” (Rom 2:13).

Author of Hebrews: “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Heb 5:14).

James: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Peter: “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:13-15).

John: “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).

Most importantly of all, it was a central theme of Jesus’ teaching.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24).

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46).

In every one of these verses, notice how God expects his people not only to know the truth, but also to put it into practice. The measure of wisdom is found in its follow-through.

Are you becoming a different person based on the truth you hear from the Bible? Can you pinpoint things you have addressed and grown in over the last year? Are there character issues you would like to tackle in the coming year? Would others who know you well say that you make wiser decisions now than you used to? Are you more pleasant, more insightful, more honorable, and more Christ-like than ever before?

Let’s add this new factor to our definition of wisdom. We must take into account both knowing and doing the truth.

Wisdom is:

1. Knowing the right thing to do in any particular situation.
2. Recognizing those who promote the right thing to do.
3. Doing it.

This post was first published in 2012.