Introduction

Proverbs 4 is about the application of practical, moral, and spiritual wisdom. It suggests that as we seek it, find it, hold on to it and make a daily study of it, wisdom will guide us, stabilize us, protect us.

The key theme is balance, moderation, wholesomeness and having a clear conscience. The book of Proverbs Chapter 4 proposes that wisdom is life itself and should be treated as such. When treated as sacred, it will make our lives sacred and secure.

We come into the world as fools and sinful, being alienated from God. So, what is it that characterizes a fool? Well, put simply they all hate for the God of scripture. We know that the fool says in is heart “there is no God”. Such were all of us before regeneration.  If we were not openly denying Him with our mouths, we were denying Him by our rebellion.

Section One is a father exhorting a son to seek wisdom (vv. 1-9)

This section is an appeal from a father to a son to seek wisdom just like his father sought wisdom. It can be said that godliness and prudence are part of the family heritage, and he wants his sons to maintain the legacy.

None of us are born with wisdom. It comes with searching Gods word, applying it to life experiences and learning from the life experience of wiser men. It is therefore imperative that we make it a priority to mine God’s word as the ultimate source of all wisdom and apply it in our lives as we seek to grow in godliness and imitate our Saviour.

Proverbs 9:8 reminds us that the wise men love wisdom and will even love you if you rebuke them. On the contrary, rebuke a fool and he will hate you.

It is wisdom to seek knowledge and understating from scripture and to then apply it to all the situations we find ourselves in. The beauty is even though we are marred by our sinful nature, Christ has made a way for us to better obey Him by applying His word in our lives.

• Which Bible-believing and Christ-loving Christian does not want to live an honourable life?
• Which Christian dose not want to leave a Kingdom legacy that will outlive them?

If this describes you, seek wisdom, seek undertaking for “Narrow is way that leads to life and broad is the highway to hell”.

Proverbs 29: 18 says “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law”

Why make a shipwreck of your faith because of a lack of underrating? When God’s revealed will has been made know to us through the 66 Books of the Holy Cannon. On top of that he has been working through many men and women to better expound the bible. Even better than that, he his put us in church community to sit under biblical teaching and sharpen one another just as Irion sharpens Iron.

Section Two is another parental appeal that distinguishes between the way Of wisdom and the way of folly (vv. 9-17)

Simply put, the path one chooses will determine the outcome of one’s life.

We are told to hold fast to wisdom for in wisdom there is life. We are told to watch the company we keep and not to associate with the wicked. While we seek to be winsome, its important to not be deceived and think we won’t be influenced by bad company.

Here there is a further expounding of versess 13-14, showing us what the wicked desire. While we seek to be winsome and make the teaching of our Lord and Saviour look good, it is important to ensure that our testimony stays intact. How do you convince fallen degenerate sinners of a better way if we ourselves are stuck in a snare and do the same things they do?

Section 3 deals with the wisdom that come with being righteous and upright (V18 & V19)

These verses make it abundantly clear that the righteous hunger and thirst after righteousness. We have a problem here, however, because even the Son of God says that "no one is good except God alone” (Mark 10 :18). So, who is righteous?

We all know that Romans 3:23-24 tells us “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and we are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.

The righteous man is the man who trusts in the complete atoning work of Christ. What a mighty God we serve, that God Himself would condescend from the glories of Heaven, live amongst us, suffer amongst us, and keep God's law perfectly to come save rebels like you and me. If this does not impress you and cause you to respond in praise and thankfulness, I don’t know what will.

Section 4 shows Wisdom's final exhortation to the reader (vv. 20-25)

The heavenly wisdom we are called to is countercultural and so will not come naturally. The only way is to saturate our minds with the truth of scripture so we can have renewed minds and see things for what they are through the lens of God’s word.

Yes, it will take much effort to resist gravity and not to be conformed to the pattern of this world.

May the Lord grant you strength through His Spirit.