The Fruits of Wisdom

February 21, 2016 Series: Proverbs: Wisdom and Human Flourishing

Topic: Wisdom Passage: Proverbs 3:9–12

Right after we learn that our chief battle comes in trusting the Lord wholeheartedly by not leaning on our own understanding, we learn in the text before us today of two areas where this is tested. And so in Proverbs 3:9-12 we will be looking at the fruits of wisdom and we will be exploring this in two key areas. First is stewardship. The text instructs us to honor the Lord with our wealth, with our first fruits. This is deeper than simply a law on tithing for the Hebrew word for honor is the word for glory. So our wealth, our stewardship is a glory issue. Whose glory are we living for? Whose fame, whose honor, whose reputation are we seeking? The second area is suffering. And suffering in the form of discipline. But discipline is a sign of God’s fatherly grace towards us. It is a sign of His love and commitment to our greatest good, or as we have been exploring, our true human flourishing.

We will only be gripped by glory to the degree that we are gripped by grace. Paul gave the Corinthian church the motivation for generous giving in his second letter to them. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). God is not interested in our being moralistic givers, but He is interested in His family reflecting His character of benevolent grace and generosity.

More in Proverbs: Wisdom and Human Flourishing

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April 24, 2016

Ancient Wisdom

April 17, 2016

The Call of Wisdom