Benefits of Wisdom

"For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge
and understanding."

Proverbs 2:6 

I am naturally self-centered.  I see the world from my point of view.  I experience circumstances with special sensitivity to how they will affect me.  Therefore, it's not surprising that I think wisdom is for understanding and knowing what I am to do, how I am to live, and how I am to respond to circumstances and people. 

In reality, while I am wise to seek God's guidance in how to live, there is so much more to wisdom than this.

Protection.  It seems there is no justice in this cold, dark world.  The weak are exploited, the vulnerable taken advantage of, the defenseless abused.  Foolish judgments are made every day and it appears that our age is marked by dishonesty and wrong living.  What used to be widely accepted as the right thing to do now is considered archaic and outdated, even judgmental or critical.

God's wisdom is for my protection.  It guards justice, shielding it from topsy-turvy thinking of this world, keeping me from being corrupted by selfish gain, or backwards beliefs, or popular mindsets.  Wisdom has a way of watching over those who seek her so that justice will be served and integrity will be preserved.  Despite the best efforts of my enemy to throw a wrench in the wheels of justice, wisdom guards it from grinding to a complete stop.

Wisdom protects me from injustice (Proverbs 2:7-8).

Pleasant.  I live in a world that venerates the celebrity way of life, that seems to celebrate the foolish and is fascinated by the shameful.  In such a place, wisdom doesn't fit and is considered as ugly and a bitter pill to swallow.  To seek godly insight and understanding almost seems shameful and unnecessary in such a world.

In reality, the wisdom that comes from revering God is like a beautiful adornment that enhances life, giving it meaning and adding a lovely quality.  In the same way colorful flowers bring beauty to an otherwise dull landscape, wisdom is considered as a delightful and charming addition to my life.

Wisdom is a pleasant adornment in a shamefully foolish world (v9-10).

Preserved.  It's easy to get sucked away, lured into crazy and reckless schemes that somehow make sense to me at the time.  If the right people speak the right words at the right time, I could believe up is down and down is up.  I'm not infallible, despite how highly I think of my own ability to discern.

Despite my enemy's best effort to entice me away from the path of life, the wisdom of God gives me discretion and understanding, preserving my way in His Kingdom.  Even though the blood of Jesus secures me in His clutches, I can turn away from what I know is God's best for me and fall back into destructive patterns and unhealthy methods of coping.  My place in the promised land is secure thanks to what Jesus has done and despite the best efforts of my enemy to lure me away, wisdom serves as a preservative, keeping me from turning into something I'm not meant to be.

Wisdom points me to the security of Christ as I negotiate through this polluted world (v 11-12).

There is more to wisdom than simply giving me insight into how to live.  It also protects me from injustice, is a pleasant addition to an ugly world, and preserves my way on the path of life.  These are some of the benefits of wisdom. 

As I begin this day I pray that I will seek wisdom as a beautiful adornment to my day.

How do I only seek wisdom for my next step to take but fail to use it to guard my way?

When am I afraid of losing my way, forgetting that God will give me wisdom to preserve my path?