Proverbs 2: The Development of Character
By Dr. Michael Mock - Posted at Place for Truth:
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.I wonder what you’d do if I told you that there was a way for you to be a godly man, husband, woman, wife, parent, child, boss, or employee, in whatever season and condition you’d find yourself in. Would you jump at the opportunity to know the way? Would you take the course? Would you listen to the podcast? Would you read the book? Would you set aside anything to get this wisdom and understanding? A person’s character is foundational for all his or her living and interacting before the face of God, in every relationship, and in any season or situation. One would think, therefore, that developing this character would be a top priority. The Lord certainly thinks so, and has revealed so. Will we listen? Will we grow?
-Proverbs 2:6
The Search (vv. 1-5)
After laying the foundation for character and calling everyone to walk along the paths of wisdom (Proverbs 1), Solomon paves the way for wisdom by urging his sons, and all spiritual sons and daughters, to notice the value of wisdom. In the opening verses of Proverbs 2, Solomon puts before his son divine wisdom. He holds it up as a diamond to behold and to hold! He issues a promise: If we receive wisdom (v. 1), then we will understand the fear of the LORD and find knowledge of God (v. 5). The fear of the LORD, he introduced, is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (1:7). Fools hate it, but the wise cherish it.
The wisdom, however, doesn’t, as it were, fall from the sky onto the lad’s lap. The son must attend to wisdom (v. 2). He must incline his heart to divinely revealed understanding (v. 2). He must call out for insight (v. 3). He must seek it and search for it (v. 4). Wisdom, if it is to be found, must be chased down. Jesus, who is Wisdom Personified (Proverbs 8), would later call his would-be wise men and women to A.S.K.: to ask, to seek, and to knock (Matthew 7:7). Our Lord invites us to come to him for all of life and godliness. Do we desire to develop character in conformity to Christ? Does the earthly father wish to be more like his Eternal Father? Does the child yearn to grow like the Son of God? There’s only one way, Solomon says: it’s through the diligent, daily pursuit of treasuring wisdom from above.
The Greater Solomon gives us a parable to incline our hearts to understanding, to make our ears attentive to wisdom. His Kingdom can be compared to a merchant in search of fine pearls. He searched and searched until he found one of immense value. He left to sell everything he had to buy the field containing the pearl (Matthew 13:45-46). It is only in God’s Kingdom where the storehouse of salvation and riches of wisdom can be found.
We believe this in principle, but has belief in principle become belief in practice? As a son hears his father’s wise words, do these words go in one ear and out the other? Or worse, is the child plugging both ears, refusing wisdom from banging his eardrums? For us who desire to conform our lives to the character of Christ, how are we searching? Are we searching? Are we seeking wisdom in his Word? Are we asking our Father in heaven for it? Are we giving due attention to it in private, family, and corporate worship? We will pursue this character-forming wisdom only if we are convinced of its inestimable value, and only if we believe it can be found.