Welcome to the Cultivating Growth podcast, where each week we open up the Bible and we study a certain aspect of growth in our walk as Christians. And this week we're going to be talking about growing in wisdom. Understandably, we'll be spending a lot of our time in Bible study. Proverbs, but we'll also look at some other passages of scripture where God not only encourages the desire for wisdom, but the instruction to get it and to attain it and what it brings about in our lives.

So with that, we'll get into the conversation. 

Well, John, as you made mention, the Bible really has a lot to say about wisdom, um, the importance of it.  The need for it, maybe, in a lot of ways. Several weeks ago we talked about cultivating the growth when it comes to our understanding. And a lot of times when we think about wisdom, it's taking that understanding, it's taking that knowledge and then doing something with it.

Putting it to use, putting it to practice. You made mention, you know, also of the Book of Proverbs. And we'll probably spend a lot of time there over the next several minutes kind of talking about wisdom and the importance of it.  Because a lot of ways, that is what the Book of Proverbs is. I mean, you know, a lot of times we look at the, you know, the Book of Proverbs and Psalms to a point, and they are poetic books, and sometimes we attack them in thinking that, you know, it's kind of bullet pointy in the way that it, you know, is kind of given to us, and sometimes it's,  It may or may not seem that one chapter goes with the one around it, and, you know, it reads so very different than, you know, certainly a narrative that you would run across, you know, in the pages of the Old Testament and the New Testament as well.

But there is a theme in the Book of Proverbs, and it is choose wisdom over foolishness. I mean, it is Over and over and over, the contrast that God really paints for us of things that are wise versus things that are foolish. And he'll make a lot of comments about very specific things that are wise, and those are the things that we need to go after, versus things that are foolish.

And those are the things that we need to stay away from. And so, it shouldn't be our surprise. At the very outset of the book of Proverbs, the Proverbs chapter one, where it gives us, you know, the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David. And then here at the very outset there in verse two, to know wisdom and instruction to perceive the words of understanding.

And so you get it really at the very outset. I think you made a really important point that it's good to start there. You made the point that. Whether foolishness or wisdom, we have to make a choice as to which one of those we're going to pursue. And I do think there is sometimes a misconception that with time and age comes wisdom.

And while there is certainly truth to the fact that over time and with age, the opportunity to grow in wisdom certainly exists and increases, I But time and age does not necessarily equal wisdom because if we learn anything by reading the book of Proverbs, it's that wisdom has to be pursued. Wisdom has to be attained.

You have to want it. You have to go after it. You have to work for it. And so I think the lesson that all of us should take right out of the gate when it comes to wisdom is that it is going to have to be something that is. A pursuit on our part, we are going to have to grow in this area and we're going to have to want it.

We have to, we have to tell ourselves and convince ourselves that this is something worth pursuing. And that's a lot of what the Proverbs are. Solomon is helping us understand why wisdom is so important to go after, and why you should avoid foolishness at all costs, and why you should go all in on wisdom.

And so he talks about, and I mean, nearly every chapter, there's elements of wisdom seen in chapter three, verses 13 through 18. He talks about wisdom being more profitable than silver and better than gold and better than anything you can desire. I mean, just painting the picture of wisdom being this almost unimaginable greatness that we're striving for.

And I think when we start to, uh, challenge our perception of what wisdom is and how we attain it, it really is going to help us understand that this is something I've got a day in and day out work towards every decision I make. is going to take me either closer to wisdom or closer to foolishness. And so it has to be constantly on our minds, something we're thinking about frequently, and making sure that we're moving in the direction of wisdom every single day. 

You know, a lot of ways that's why I like Proverbs chapter 1, 2, 3, and 4. I mean, we certainly don't have the time here to read all of that. If you're studying along with us, I would encourage you to read chapters one through four. It wouldn't take you very long. But it really is the setup to this idea in a lot of ways.

And what I really like, and you made mention of it,  kind of alluded to it already, it's interesting how Solomon kind of talks about wisdom, especially in those first four chapters, almost as a commodity, almost something physical. You know, sometimes, you know, when we think about wisdom, it's kind of out there and it's, Difficult for us to, you know, kind of grab hold of, you know, but, you know, certainly, you know, silver and gold, you may mention of that's something that you can grab hold of and enriches, you know, certainly something that people would pursue. 

But it's really interesting to me how the writer, especially early on, he talks about wisdom and, as you mentioned, the pursuit of it  as a commodity, that it is something to grab hold of, it's something to go after. And I think when we think about it that way, it really helps us, you know, to understand the importance of it.

Yeah, I was just looking at a little further into Proverbs outside of those first four chapters that we've been talking about so far. In chapter 19, Solomon gives a little bit of an indication as to how you go about attaining it. And so those first four chapters are all about kind of laying the groundwork.

You got to go after, you got to want it. It's important. You need to. Go after and strive for wisdom in chapter 19 and verse 20, he says, listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise in your latter days. And so now he's starting to, after laying the groundwork as to the importance of wisdom and instructing us to, to go after it and to prioritize grabbing hold of it.

He's now teaching us that if that's something that you want, you're going to have to listen to counsel. You're going to have to receive instruction. And really what that means is you're going to have to humble yourself.  So that others can teach you, so that others can instruct you, because that's how you're going to go about getting wisdom.

You're going to learn from those who have gone on before you. You're going to learn from their mistakes. You're going to learn from their successes. You're going to learn from everything that they have done, and they're now going to be able to pass it on to the next generation, so that you too can grow in wisdom.

And so, in order to attain wisdom, that Solomon is referring to, Showing us is so important. We have to humble ourselves enough to be able to be taught, to receive instruction and to seek counsel from those who are perhaps older and wiser than we are. And I think sometimes that those two things, humility and wisdom don't necessarily seem to go hand in hand.

But, but not just in this passage, in Proverbs 11 and verse 2, Solomon will again talk about how humility and wisdom go hand in hand. And so it's really something that if we want wisdom, if we want to strive for wisdom, we're going to have to humble ourselves enough to be able to receive that instruction and to seek that counsel in order to grow in this area.

I think it's pretty neat when we start to think about it. We've made mention of this and in past episodes where you have these opportunities where you see the importance of growing in something and we've talked about, you know, a lot of different things already on this podcast and we've made mention throughout. 

A lot of the episodes that there are opportunities to help each other growing in these areas. Now a lot of, there's a lot of personal responsibility there, there always is and always will be. But yet at the same time, there's a lot of opportunities for us to help each other in several of these things.

And wisdom is certainly one of those. And it's the point that you brought out. I know we keep going back to the very beginning of the book of Proverbs, but in Proverbs chapter four, I mean, it's, it's exactly what's happening. You have a father speaking to a son.  about wisdom and imparting wisdom. And it really, Proverbs 7 is should now very something very specific in that moment, but it is sharing wisdom with a, and that's, listen, that's a phrase we use.

I mean, that's a, that's an everyday phrase that we use in our culture, sharing wisdom with, you know, a younger generation or sharing wisdom with somebody, you know, it's a phrase that we use. And it, Absolutely is, is something that I think we've got to be able to feel even a responsibility towards of, of not just gaining and growing in our own wisdom, but also helping others gain and grow in their wisdom.

Yeah. I mean, I think about, you know, the relationship I have with my dad, I'm oftentimes calling him and asking him for advice in certain areas. Because he's got a lot more life experience than I do. And he's learned a whole lot more than I know. And he has a lot of that wisdom in his later years that he can now pass on to me.

But it doesn't even have to be a father or even a father figure. I mean, even you and I, you know, you're a few years older than I am. And your children are older than mine. And you know, they're now, your children are in college and beyond, and mine are still kind of in those school years. And so there's times where I ask you questions about things like, uh, how you handled certain things with your children.

And, and I do that with other people as well, because when you've gone through situations, that others are just now entering into, you have some knowledge about how those situations can unfold that can be helpful to those who are just coming into those. And so it's, it is, it's a responsibility that we have to pass on that knowledge and that wisdom to the generation coming up behind us.

And if we all have a purposeful mindset about doing that,  then we're really going to see the fruits of wisdom generationally. And that's something that I think is really important. And whether you're, you know, 80, 90 years old or 50, 60 years old, or 30, 40 years old, whatever, you have life experience that can be helpful to someone coming up behind you.

And in order for them to grow in wisdom, they need to seek counsel and they need to learn from your instruction. And so we do bear a responsibility, I think, to help those who are striving for wisdom to grow in that area. Yeah. And I think when we talked earlier about, you know, kind of being able to picture, You know, wisdom is something that you can get a hold of, right?

You know, something that you can grab a hold of. When we do that, then we can begin to understand that this is something that has great value. I mean, it is something that will be referenced that way throughout Scripture, not just in the book of Proverbs, but throughout Scripture, as something that has great value.

That's why You know with Solomon, we've made mention of his name already as he's in the very beginning of the book of Proverbs But you know that famous story early on in his time as being king when when God basically Comes to him and tells him that hey, whatever whatever he needs whatever he's looking for that You know God will provide it and it what does he ask for he asked for wisdom and discernment and God and he?

Lifts him up because of that. It certainly provides it to him. And you start to see the way that God reacted to Solomon reaching for that wisdom. And now we're able to see as we study through the book of Proverbs and other passages that when we are reaching for that wisdom it has incredible value and it's certainly something there that's attainable for us.

And it's important to remember that this, we're talking about wisdom That comes from God. I mean, Solomon makes that point in chapter two and verse six. He says, for the Lord gives wisdom. And then in chapter three,  in verse number seven, he cautions us not to be wise in our own eyes. And so we have to remember that this isn't just wisdom as defined by each individual, this is wisdom that comes from God and this really aligns with God.

God's design and desires for man, he wants us to fully understand him and he wants us to work through and navigate the challenges of life in his ways. And that's really the wisdom that we're talking about. Seeing things through, seeing things through the eyes of God and seeing his mind in the decisions that we make.

That's the wisdom that's being talked about here. Not the the wisdom of man. Man's wisdom and decision making is fallible. God's is not. And so he wants us to achieve and attain the wisdom that he is giving to mankind. And so that's what we should be after. And so when we are looking for that counsel and instruction.

We We need to seek godly men and women who can help us work towards the wisdom that God has given, not the wisdom of man. And so that's an important distinction to make. And Solomon seems to be very intent on making sure we understand the difference between that. That this is wisdom that we're going after that comes from God himself.

Yeah. And that kind of reminds me maybe to another piece of practicality that kind of goes along with, you know, seeking wisdom, you know, to the people that, uh, you know, are, are around us and helping each other with that. You know, one other thing, you know, certainly gaining understanding. We we've talked already about that and gaining your knowledge is going to help you, you know, with wisdom.

But, you know, understanding the story with Solomon. Early on as king a reading passages like Proverbs chapter 2 and verse 6 where it reminds us the Lord He's the one that gives wisdom, you know, the the simple practicality of asking God for it You know praying to God and and ask him to help your understanding increase your knowledge increase your wisdom You know it comes from him And so there is a level of practicality that says well I should go to him and ask him to help me with it And I think most certainly he'll do that.

Yeah 100 percent he will and Because he is faithful and he wants us to excel in this area, it truly is. Uh, something that God wants us to have. It's not some unattainable goal, like the carrot that he's holding out in front of us. You know, this is something that is attainable for each of us. He wants us to be able to possess it and grab hold of it.

But we have to be serious about working towards it. And as you pointed out earlier, helping one another in this goal. Yep, no question. Let's close with one more passage. We've made reference of Proverbs 4. I'll add one more piece of encouragement, that if you could find the time to read those four chapters and listening to this, would be super helpful to you.

But in Proverbs chapter 4, in verse 7, in a very simple and easy kind of way, the writer tells us that wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom. And that all you're getting is wisdom. 

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Thanks again for joining us this week, and we'll talk to you again next week.