Proverbs 2
-Solomon tells his son that IF he will receive his words and treasure his commandments within, make his ear attentive to wisdom, incline his heart to understanding, cry for discernment, lift his voice for understanding (ask questions, converse), and seek wisdom as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then he would discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5). It is only the LORD that gives true wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. God stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who will walk in integrity (tom- completeness, simplicity, fullness, integrity), and guard the paths of justice. The LORD preserves the way of His Godly ones. When his son follows these important principles, he will discern righteousness, justice, equity, and every good course for a life lived well. Plus, knowledge will be sweet, or pleasant, to his soul. Solomon goes on to say that discretion will guard and understanding will watch over his son IF these words of wisdom are heeded. He will be delivered from the way of evil and the man who speaks perverse things. Those who leave the paths of righteousness, walk in darkness, delight in evil and rejoice in the perversity of evil, walk in a crooked manner and are devious in their ways will be no match for God’s better direction. Solomon wants his son to walk in victory with the favor of the Almighty. He also desires for him to be wise and get deliverance from the strange woman, “from the adulteress who flatters with her words.” She will leave the companion of her youth in a sexually immoral manner and forget the covenant of her God. Her house sinks down to death, and her tracks lead to the perishing. “None who go to her return again, nor do they reach the paths of life,” Solomon warns. This is valuable and prescriptive instruction for his young lad concerning faithfulness. Why? Because the king wants his son to walk in the way of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. “For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land and the treacherous will be uprooted from it (Proverbs 2:6-22).”
-*Application* What we see the king imploring us to do in this passage is to yearn and strive for a righteous walk with our LORD. We have to listen, incline, cry out for, lift our voice, seek, and search for the God who is above us and knows everything. In short, we must reverence Him and make Him our Master. This is when we can start to truly live a life of integrity. Remember that this includes completeness, simplicity, fullness, and stamina. God should be our everything if we truly want His way and His blessings. Faithfulness becomes a huge part of that in resisting in sexual temptation that is thrown our way. Not only that, but those around us that are trying to speak perverse things and live immoral lives of any kind in absolute darkness need to be shunned and resisted. These delight in doing evil, and we, as believers, don’t need to accept them in any way. This is a hard thing to do in this day and age, because we will be severely persecuted for that type of so-called insensitivity or intolerance. However, we must remember the general truth that the upright will remain and live in the land longer than those who are wicked and treacherous. Be planted, not uprooted. Fear God, not evil man.
Verses to Memorize: Proverbs 2:21-22
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