“…an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense.” – Proverbs 1:4

Quite frankly, this caught me by surprise. There is a long, deserted, hot and arid road between words and actions. All, I wanted to do was learn something. Why did I suggest and broadcast my fleeting thought to take others on this excruciating journey with me?

I was caught up in a daydream of a beautiful ascension of philosophical thoughts on the book of Proverbs. Then reality hit and I realized that this will be more like an experiment in sharing my God thoughts.

Instead of a journey on a comfortable train through the Swiss Alps, eating rich chocolate, as you capture the stunning snow-capped mountains, imagine it is more like my bus is coming in 5 minutes and I have one eyebrow drawn on, my teeth haven’t seen a toothbrush in 8 to 9 hours, and I’m pretty sure I still need to put on deodorant type of journey. 

If nothing else it should be weird and with that, I welcome you into my world of exceptional degrees of abnormalness as I share what God downloads to me in those aha moments from His Word. Let’s be clear, weird not in the sense of theology, but in the sense of how God makes the Word plain to me.

Now, that your expectations have hit rock bottom, we are going to have loads of fun together.

Do you remember the cartoon on PBS called the Magic School Bus? I live by Ms. Frizzle’s war cry of freedom in exploring and taking new adventures.

Often she would shout out to her students, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” I hear my spirit scream this in the face of great opportunity yet great risk.

It’s my sincere hope to inspire and spark you to pursue your own scary dreams, as I live mine out – falling, learning, getting dirty and growing as I go. Not with a pretentious attitude, but doing our best with the help of the Holy Spirit to walk humbly before the Lord.

Fearing not the faces of our critics or our heroes.

Alexander Pope, the 18th century English poet said, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” This sounds like an inspirational quote, but on further study, Alexander is actually warning us not to let a little knowledge deceive us regarding the mastery of life or the subject at hand. In my 20’s I was the poster child for this message. Which is why Proverbs 1:4 stood out to me so starkly.

Solomon shares with us one of the many reasons for his writings is to give prudence to the simple. Simple. Even before understanding the fullness of this word in Hebrew, I knew it referred to me.  

Too often, I struggle with finding the wisest path when I’m overloaded with information. It’s not that I am overwhelmed, but the amount of information can sometimes feel like a safety blanket because I have so much information, therefore, the answer seems clear.

It takes a conscious decision on my part to pause and hear from the Lord. Not hear from my intelligence, not from man’s wisdom, but the Spirit of God.

Too much knowledge (information) and not enough wisdom (understanding how to act in response to that knowledge) is dangerous.

It seems like what I mastered in one season doesn’t necessarily come up often in the next. New levels, new challenges, new complexities which require fresh wisdom. Divinely orchestrated dependence? Thanks, God! (Is that sarcasm in my tone?)

Developing ideas and plans of action is not my problem. That’s the easy stuff. However, it is sometimes difficult to get a clear grasp on the prudent plan. The plan that bypasses all opinions, emotional responses, ‘girl you need to…’, and ‘what I did was…’ reactions to get down to the God-inspired plan.

So, when Solomon says that this book is for the simple folk out there, it’s exciting and comforting to know that God inspired Solomon and others to write this book for me. To equip me to be as harmless as a dove, but as wise as a serpent. To lead me in devising plans or schemes to outwit my opponents, including the one who hates my soul, so that I might live successfully.

Why is this important to me? Why should this be important to you?

It means that there isn’t a threshold that we have to cross or a standard that we have to meet to be fully qualified to receive of God’s good wisdom.

That the silly person, the easily seduced person can benefit, grow and learn from what God has inspired in this book penned by Solomon and others.

Often times, fear or disappointment causes us not to reach out for help. Thoughts of, I should probably know this… will this make me look bad? Too often stymie our progress.

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life.”

I don’t believe we are ever fools when we ask a question, but I do agree that it is foolish never to ask. The beauty of this journey is that God will never look at us crazy or be disappointed in us when we ask for wisdom. In fact, James 5 tells us that He will give it to us generously. So, I am asking.

Lord my God, you have made your servant a king and priest. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great person of yours?

In Jesus name, Amen.

Writing Experiment – Proverbs 1