MPC 11th February 2007.
February 11 - Proverbs 1:1-6 "Getting Smarter"1
Phil Campbell MPC 11th February 2007.
You may not immediately recognize his name, but Richard Carlson's words have shaped a generation.
He died from a heart attack in the first class cabin of a plane half way between San Francisco and New York on December 13, while he was touring to promote his latest book, Don't Get Scrooged.
Which was destined to become a top seller like his 29 other books. Including titles like Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. Which has topped the lists in 135 countries. Richard Carlson's philosophy was that we all spend far too much time sweating over trivia that's irrelevant in the long run. And not enough time concentrating calmly… on what's going right.
In fact, at least according to his obituary in the Courier Mail, Richard Carlson's words of wisdom became household phrases all over the world.
Pearls like, "People will forget what you said and what you did - but people will never forget how you made them feel." Which may actually be true.
Now whatever you think of Richard Carlson's philosophies, whether or not his words of wisdom are household phrases in your house, there's no doubt that people see a deep need… for the sort of wisdom you can live by. There's no doubt people have a hunger to be connected to the kind of wise words of timely advice that help you chart a course through the complexities of daily life. And the hunger for that is proved by the fact that a guy like Richard Carlson had 40 million readers. Every one of them hungry for wisdom. Eager for anything that would help them get smarter… in the way they live their lives.
Well, if you've got any of that same sort of hunger - and you should - let me introduce you to the Old Testament book of Proverbs. Which attained best seller status thousands of years before Don't Sweat the Small Stuff was even a twinkle in Richard Carlson's eye. Proverbs promises to actually help you to make sense of life. And live it better. And more effectively.
Look at verses 2 to 4, and you'll see straight away what the book of Proverbs is all about. Here's a book, verse 2:
for attaining wisdom and disipline; for understanding words of insight;
Here's a book, verse 3:
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,doing what is right and just and fair;
Here's a book, verse 4:
for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young
Which makes Proverbs sound like a very useful book indeed. No matter who you are.
But there are some words in those verses you may not have seen for a while. Let alone lived by.
There was a girl in the year above me at school whose first name was Prudence. And I don't think I've actually used the word prudence more than once or twice since I last spoke to her back in 1975. Certainly not up there with Madison and Catelyn and Hailey in the list of most popular girls names these days. But there's a time when it was. Because prudence as a quality of life was something to be admired. And sought after. Prudence is out of fashion. And will you notice there in the summary of what the book of Proverbs has on offer, prudence is right up there as one of the big three.
Along with wisdom. And discipline. You'll notice wisdom and being wise is an idea that's repeated three times; in verse 2, and then in verse 5 and verse 6. For attaining wisdom. Discipline is repeated in verse 2 and verse 3. And good old prudence is there in verse 3. And again in verse 4. For giving prudence to the simple.
Let's take a quick look at each. And see what's on offer. Firstly wisdom. And by wisdom the bible always means something more than simply being smart. Because wisdom is never the same as being clever or intelligent. Wisdom is far more than knowing lots of facts. As you've probably observed from experience, a person can have a PhD in Nuclear Physics, and when it comes to the skills for living life effectively, be an absolute disaster. Not that I'm referring specifically to anyone here this morning with a PhD in Nuclear physics.
In Biblical terms, wisdom is practical knowledge. Wisdom is knowing how to make the right use of the right facts. When it comes to living life. Wisdom is being able to figure out what's the right choice to make in the right life situation. Wisdom is knowing what to do next… in the face of a confusing array of choices. So in a sense, wisdom isn't so much knowing stuff… as knowing what to do. And what not to.
In March last year, a 26 year old Caribbean man set out to reproduce Benjamin Franklin's famous experiment with a kite in a thunderstorm. Except that when he found his kite-string was too short, he extended it with a length of copper wire. Never mind the lightning. The wire hit the overhead power lines. And killed him on the spot. After which his father said, he should have known better. He was an electrician.
See, you can know all the facts about electricity. And still not know how to live your life. It's the classic difference between being academically clever and being wise. About knowing smart theory. And doing dumb stuff. Wisdom is about integrating knowledge into an effective life strategy.
And that's what the book of Proverbs is going to offer.
But it doesn't end there. Number 2 in the big three, there's discipline. Which in this case is not referring to "punishment-for-doing-something-wrong-type" discipline… but discipline in the sense of being in control. Of having an orderly and thoughtful lifestyle. Of living a life that's not at the mercy of random outside influences.
Discipline is the mark of the athlete. An absolutely discipled routine. In control of what they eat, how they exercise; the mental toughness to get up and train every day, even when they don't feel like it. A disciplined life is self controlled. Rather than random. And Proverbs is a book that offers to help.
Proverbs is a book according to verse 2,"for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight." And who wouldn't want that?
It's a book for developing prudence, in verse 4, which is that old fashioned idea about exercising care. It didn't make it into the book of Proverbs, but there's that old saying carpenters use, measure twice, cut once. Which wise parents tell their children applies to choosing marriage partners as well as to sawing timber framework. Or in the way you invest. Or plan a building project. Prudence means taking care. Looking before you leap. Prudence is all about having having an eye for the future. Foresight into what can go right or wrong. So as to be able to make the right decisions in the present. To be prudent will mean you're not impulsive.
And you'll notice in verse 3 that the book of Proverbs can help with that:
This is a book for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
Even, according to verse 4, if you're a simple person. Even if you're young. The fact is, you don't have to learn from your mistakes. You can learn to be prudent instead.
Which will also involve, you'll notice in verse 3, is more than just doing what gets you ahead.
I noticed in the paper yesterday, there was an article about how to manage stress at work. It said you should take your dog. Because pets help with stress. And it also said this: climb over everyone else to get to the top. Because - and you might disagree with this if you're a boss - because it said statistically, there's less stress in being a boss. And you live longer.
Now I don't want to argue to the toss on that. Except to just observe that in the way the world sees wisdom, if it's in your own selfish best interests, the article says that wisdom is walking over who ever you have to. Whereas right at the outset, Proverbs is saying, real wisdom - is about doing what's right and just and true.
Which you might have noticed from the studies during the week, is exactly what the core business of being an Israelite was all about.
Genesis chapter 18. God says, I chose this guy Abraham to be the patriarch of a great nation. God says, verse 19,
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
And the book of Proverbs is Israel's book. For showing them exactly what that's going to look like. In the most mundane situations of life.
Right down to how you run your farm. How you use your mouth. Right down to how you calibrate your scales in your fruit shop. Right down to how you look after your horse. Proverbs 12 verse 10:
A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Living a life of wisdom and discipline and prudence isn't just about doing what works. It's about doing what's right. Which is ultimately the difference between the book of Proverbs and the sort of self help books like Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. Because for Richard Carlson, the newspaper said his ultimate goal was the pursuit of personal happiness. Which, depending on what makes you happy, doesn't necessarily involve what's right and just and fair at all.
Proverbs is not about doing what works at the expense of others; or about stepping on people to get ahead. Proverbs is about a lifestyle that not only works… but which is also morally right and proper and good.
Which is a great package. A book full of God's secrets for real success. And real happiness. Of the sort that comes from being in tune with the Creator. The one who designed the whole system. Wisdom for Israel on how to not just survive in the promised land… but to thrive in it. By living in a way that was stable. And good. And effective.
Having said all that, there's actually a bit more to reading the book of Proverbs than meets the eye. And there's a warning of that in verses 5 and 6. Proverbs is a book that in one way is extremely straight forward. And yet in another way needs a certain amount of thinking to negotiate. Because sometimes, you'll see in verse 6, a proverb can be like a riddle. Which if it's a riddle of the cryptic crossword variety, can keep you guessing for days.
And while there's wisdom here that can teach a child… those who are wise and discerning need to listen as well. And might even need a helping hand. Verse 5 and verse 6:
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
So here's a book that's going to need some thought. A book full of sayings and riddles and parables as well as those pithy little one line proverbs we're so familiar with. And I'll guarantee, a lot of them you will have heard before.
But what we need to realize from the outset is that a single proverb is never intended to do duty in every single circumstance of life. And a Proverb is more like a tool than a rule. You can't take a single Proverb… and claim it as an iron clad guarantee. Because Proverbs don't work that way.
Here's an example. Proverbs 26 verse 27:
If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
Now I distinctly remember my old friend Greg who lives in Stanthorpe, he was telling me he had a huge rock on a sloping block beside his house. Too big to lift. And he had to get rid of it. And with a lot of hard work and some leverage from the broken branch of a tree… Greg rolled the stone. And you know what? In spite of what the Proverb says, it didn't roll back on him. Besides which, I'm sure on one occasion I actually dug a pit once myself, and I didn't fall into it.
But you've got to realize how proverbs work. Which in a sense if you've ever used a proverb in your life, you'll kind of already know. Because the trick with a proverb, is you've actually got to know when to use it… and when not to. You've got to make the right connection… between the proverb… and the situation.
And so you've got to see the proverb about rolling a rock, it's actually about the danger of any situation misfiring. As situations so often do. And the need to take care. Or failing that, gives you the right sort of wise sounding observation to make to your mate with his leg stuck under the rock.
Some proverbs are absolutes. Other proverbs are observations. Handy generalizations. And the wisdom comes not so much in knowing a proverb about life which will always be true - as knowing when to rightly apply the proverb.
Now it's not just biblical proverbs that work that way. Think about our modern proverb "Haste makes waste."
It's not in the book of proverbs. But it's often true, isn't it? The idea that if you rush too fast with something you can end up ruining it and wasting stuff. Like that chocolate cake; you were in such a rush to get it in the over that the whole thing flopped because you forgot to put in the eggs.
So we learn. You say to yourself, "'Haste makes waste!' That is so true; next time I'll slow down and take my time".
Which doesn't mean that haste makes waste is always true in every situation. So, maybe some time after your cooking disaster, one of your kids suddenly gets sick; really sick. They're having difficulty breathing. Now you don't say "Well now hold on a sec: haste makes waste and so I don't want to go rushing this kid to the hospital. I'll take my time with this decision."
See, that's not wise at all is it? In that situation, "haste makes waste" is not the proverb to reach for.
"He who hesitates is lost!"
That's the proverb to pull out in that situation.
So in lots of cases you'll find a Proverb is a tool rather than a rule. And you've got to know when to use the axe and when to use the saw.
Read through the book and you'll be plastered with literally hundreds of proverbs and parables and sayings and riddles of the wise. But the real genius in the pattern of the book is that laid over the top of all these sayings is a set of principles... that the way the book is structured will throw up enough lessons to help us wisely decide which proverb, which life observation is the best one to apply.
Proverbs on their own don't make you wise. You could teach them to a parrot. Which means you need to remember the lesson of Proverbs 26 verse 9:
Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. (Proverbs 26:9)
Fundamentally, we're going to have to get our heads around where wisdom comes from. Which we'll see in more detail next week fundamentally starts from a fear of the Lord. Which is introduced in verse 7.
But for this morning, there's just one other point to touch on from these first six verses. And it's in the very first verse. In comes in the form of the person of Proverbs. Because I wonder if you noticed, these are: the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.
Within the bible the great patron and sponsor of wisdom is King Solomon. Son of the Great King David. Who ruled over Israel's golden age. We met him last year as we looked at 1 Kings. And saw him building God's temple during that remarkable era of Prosperity and Peace. When God said to Solomon, ask me for anything you want, Solomon said, I want wisdom. And God gave it.
1 Kings chapter 4 says that God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon spoke 3000 proverbs and he described plant life and taught about animals and birds and reptiles and fish. Solomon didn't just collect plants and snakes and fish. He collected proverbs as well. And we're going to be reading them.
But it's interesting that within the bible this tight connection between Solomon and wisdom, it gets picked up and developed more broadly into a connection between God's king and wisdom. That just as with Solomon's time, if you want real insights to life, if you want to know how to most successfully life, then you come to God's appointed king, he is the one who has the really insightful advice. And so from nations all over the world, kings and queens and rulers streamed in and bowed at his throne. To find wisdom.
The tragedy of course is that in the end, Solomon didn't live out his own advice. The tragedy is that in the end, Solomon had to say do as I say… but don't do as I do. And the kings after Solomon constantly disappointed as well. There was a long line of dud kings; and yet the Old Testament never lost the connection between God's king and wisdom. It was always the ideal. So the Prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 11 verse 2 to 3, he's describing the Christ, the coming messiah, the future mighty King… and Isaiah says these words:
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.
Did you see the connection between the Messiah and wisdom? Isaiah says, "The messiah will be one who will have the spirit of wisdom and understanding. The Messiah will know what's what in life. The Messiah won't be a let down… like all the other Kings." And at last there'll be a King worth coming to… if you want to know how to live a life… that's right. And just. And fair. And he won't just tell you with his words. He'll show you with his life.
And so it's no surprise that when Jesus steps into the spotlight, Matthew tells us this. In chapter 12. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, they're provoking him for a sign. They want to see a party trick. And they're missing the point. And verse 41, Jesus condemns them. For their lack of insight. He says, past generations will rise up and condemn you. The people who used to stream from all over the world to listen to Solomon; how much they'd have given to hear Jesus. And now all the Pharisees want to do is see him crucified. Here's what he says:
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.
See, if you're asking how you're going to negotiate your way through the complexities of this life, where do you start? If you're life's in an absolute mess because of decisions you've made in the past you know weren't wise at all, where do you start in putting things all back together?
We've seen that the book Proverbs is going to help us with some Practical Tips for the People of God. With loads of helpful generalisations and observations about life. But we saw that overlaid on top of those observations, Proverbs is going to give us some lessons about how and when to apply them. And here in the very first verse, in the very first lesson. It is the lesson that the art of living well is linked with living under the rule of God's king. True wisdom comes from applying life's observations from the humble perspective that God's king knows best and that wisdom flows from him. Or to put more it specifically, Jesus Christ knows best. And the place to start, is by bowing to him.
Which is sometimes hard to keep doing. And I have to say as a pastor I've noticed and my heart has sometimes bled to see Christian friends getting to the point where there's a significant choice to be made. And it's a choice between listening to what Jesus says… or listening to another voice. That maybe sounds so reasonable. And offers maybe that relationship that your heart is so lonely for. Packaged in exactly the wrong kind of person. And you know that wisdom says, don't go there. And King Jesus says, seek first my Kingdom… and trust me. And yet they don't. And so a long road begins. Of heartache and regret.
See, the way wisdom works, is that when Jesus says jump we ask how high. Because ultimately, we know that wisdom is in his every word. And more than that, he's got our best interests at heart. Because he's the one full of the spirit of wisdom and understanding. Jesus is God's appointed ruler who always knows what's best. And so when he said to his disciples, go into all the world and make disciples and teach them to obey what I've commanded you… he wasn't just on a power trip. Wanting to crush your independence. Because the point is, what he teaches is what's wise. And just. And right.
So as a Christian, wisdom is this. That no matter what our friends might say, we always say yes to Jesus. No matter what our family might say, we always yes to Jesus. No matter what the ads might say, we always say yes to Jesus. Even no matter what our own desires might occasionally say, we always say yes to Jesus. And no matter how old you are. Or how young you are. Or how intelligent you are; or how slow on the uptake… it's a wisdom that's never out of reach. That can shapes lives that are stable and productive and effective in a way that self help gurus like Richard Carlson could only ever dream of.
1.Thanks to Bryson Smith (www.dpc.org.au) for the inspiration for this talk.