THE LIGHT OF WISDOM (3)

“But the path of the just is as the SHINING LIGHT, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” – Proverbs 4:18 (KJV)               

The LIGHT of WISDOM leads the righteous on the Paths of Progress and Perfection: “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Pro.4:18). Wisdom instructs us how to progress. Wisdom is Light. Foolishness is darkness. Jesus is the Light: “I am the LIGHT of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of Life” (Jh.8:12b). He is as well the Source of all Wisdom and Knowledge: “In whom are hidden all the treasures of WISDOM and Knowledge” (Col.2:3). Christ is also referred to as “the power of God, and the WISDOM of GOD” (1Cor.1:24,30). Wisdom is Insight required to attain life’s greatest heights.

God designed and created the world with Order and Purpose, but sin brought disorder to humanity’s relationships with God, creation, and one another. Jesus paved the way for a new restored order through His Life, death, and resurrection. He has provided a path of reconciliation for all our relationships. Our responsibility is to live out God’s new order, particularly through the Agency of Wisdom. Verse 10 presents an invitation to listen well “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.” We have a choice to either hear and accept God’s Word or to ignore and reject it. Accepting it usually leads to life, health, and worthwhile relationships.

All that we need to know about life are in God’s Word: “I have taught you in the WAY of WISDOM; I have led you in right paths” (v.11). Life is like walking a long path, not a series of independent scenes. Life is about Choices. Our choices today will influence tomorrow’s outcomes. Moment-by-moment and day-to-day, we make choices in life. One step may not go far, but a thousand steps in the wrong direction will be significant. A day of foolish choices may not seem like much, but a year of foolish decisions will have dire consequences. This is true of our steps, words, work, spending, visits, and associations. Each day we make thousands of small choices and use thousands of words.

Wise choices are like walking on level terrain: “When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble” (v.12). In contrast, foolish steps lead to entanglements in the undergrowth of sin, struggles, and suffering. Choices become habits, which become a lifestyle, and eventually a lifetime. We’re enjoined to “Take firm hold of instruction; do not let go; keep her...” (v.13). The path of wickedness is a no-go direction that must be avoided (vv.14,15). Foolish and sinful choices draw people away from God, and hurt others as well (vv.16-17). God didn’t leave us to stumble through life blindly. Wisdom is the secret of direction; direction is the profit of wisdom.