Proverbs 1:5 “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”
When I was studying for a degree in Theology there were lots of lectures. We would sit for up to three hours at a time listening and writing notes on a subject. Often I found myself questioning why I believed what I believed, and regularly my paradigms were shifting around in the middle of lectures. While it was amazing to be gaining all this new information, I sensed my life also really needed to be about the application. How can I put into practice what I believe?
I had the opportunity to volunteer at a local rehab centre for 3 years, and I drove a group of young male college students there with me each week. In the car we chatted and went over our learnings, and as we did so we tested our theology with each other. Once we were at the venue we put into practice what we had learned as we scrubbed the kitchens or weeded the gardens alongside the amazing staff and people who were residents there. Later on in the course, I volunteered at the college and taught some lessons there, and during that time what I had learned became even more deeply entrenched in me.
KNOWLEDGE
This verse is calling us to effort and consistency. A depth of willing commitment is birthed, and as we respond to the call of God on our lives, we will be fully focused, completely committed and doggedly determined. Our learning is applied and practised over and over, the outcome is that we are anchored into a safe and strong position, so we are well prepared to help guide others to get to where we ourselves already are.
Of course, our plan is not to stay where we are either, but to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us onwards and upwards. Conviction, through God’s beautiful, inspiring, generous, kindness leads us to repentance. Our life is an open book for others to read. Insights from God are our prize, fresh understanding is our fuel, and consistency, growth and commitment are our passions.
UNDERSTANDING: Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live? The word “obtain” appears 85 times in the Old Testament and is pronounced as “qanah” in the Old Testament. It is translated into the following English words [ESV]; gotten; possession; bought; purchased; buy; created; acquire; obtain; formed; owner; recover; and, sold. In verse 5 we pick up on the meaning to redeem or acquire. Guidance has been redeemed for us!
WISDOM: what wisdom (moral purity) in life do you act on consistently every day? Under pressure, what do your reactions and decisions look like?
Strength’s Thought – “Learner” is a beautiful Strategic Thinking Strength – you love learning, are open to change and can help others over their own barriers to change by diving in first and making the way easier for others. You can become an expert in a subject area, with the ability to spot and solve problems and redirect the organisational location and positioning.
Be careful to consider the end result of learning and look to add value by application. Don’t be discouraged when others around you don’t share your passion. Look for opportunities to be an early adopter, and step boldly into challenging environments, backing yourself to learn as you go.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version: [let’s position our full selves to listen with such vigour, that we cannot help but grow in such a way that will please God.]
PRAYER : Father thank you for today! Please help me to listen to you today and to be willing to respond quickly. Thank you.
Let the wise – It says wise because a wise man will listen and a foolish man thinks he knows everything.
Hear- is receiving
& increase in learning – to understand & be able to receive more.
& the one who understands – who receives with full attention
Obtain guidance – will know the direction & can lead
Proverbs 1:5 means to me, The one who listens humbly will receive the word of God with understanding can then lead.
Thanks Allan!
Great post 👍🏼
I seek to learn more , understand teaching, absorb and use it wisely to instruct others, especially young ones. I may not always be right. I need to be open to correction. More than anything I want to teach them to live wisely and not make the mistakes I made.
The desire to grow, the frustration with the status quo leads one to want to learn and listen. A good state to be in is not satisfied to stay as I am! I can’t help but believe these things are the beginning of wisdom.
If I want to grow, and we all should, listening, learning and the desire to know God more intimately will drive us to grow.
Good morning, thank you Ps Allan. You really have the gift of teaching.
I also pray that the Word be so alive in me that I put them into action by my obedience.
I, too, am a learner. I always pray for understanding/discernment so I can better serve the Lord by serving those He has given me to serve, just like Jesus did (servant-leadership).
Life is an open book …
With nubile and uninterpreted thoughts
As a kid I’m sure we were all exposed to the line
Listen and learn
In gods context this equals understanding and guidance
If our open book is the bible .. gods word
And we follow it allows us to be anchored in a safe and strong positioning
Stopping during thought process and asking god for direction
Enables us to do so with the wisdom bestowed upon us by god
Well said Allan. Love that thought of when we can go from Followers to Discipleship: Followers Listen, Disciples apply. First step is hearing/listening and the next step is applying….it’s one thing to hear and listen but then it’s another thing to put it into practice. Thanks again Allen for unpacking this verse.
Love that thought of when we can go from Followers to Discipleship: Followers Listen, Disciples apply. First step is hearing/listening and the next step is applying….it’s one thing to hear and listen but then it’s another thing to put it into practice. Thanks again Allen for unpacking this verse.
Application is key, im guilty of hearing the word of God but not always doing the word of God. I sometimes think well if I’m hearing but I’m not doing, am I really hearing and would God stop speaking coz he knows Im not really listening and I won’t do it anyways? My prayer is always help me, change me, guide me, I never want to stay stuck and in the same place.
Thank you! Just beautiful!
“Effort and consistency”
“listen with a heart not only to intellectually understand, but with an intentionality to put into practice what we hear”
These thoughts resonated with me and I am encouraged to allow Holy Spirit to lead me onwards and upwards and grow as well as lead in a way that will please God.
I love the idea of consistent and constant learning – a product of discipline and devotion! To hear is the beginning of learning but there is also a practical element on our end to apply what we hear!
When I think about what wisdom I act on every day, I think it is just to choose to be grounded in the word. For me everything flows from that. When I make poor decisions it can be under pressure, but for me it’s normally when I make decisions based on emotion I get myself into trouble.
In the NIV in verse 5 it says ….and let the discerning get guidance. I like that.
The learner strength is quite low down for me (number 22) but I like the part above Allan where it says ‘don’t be discouraged when others don’t share your passion’. At the end of the day, it really only matters what God thinks!!
Thanks Allan
Active listening listening skills with a discerning heart from God is something I need to develop more of in my life.
Honesty and kindness would be the values I try to live up to on a daily basis,
I have a desire to please God,and live up to his word everyday
When I fall short in trying to hold on to these values and I’m faced with a situation ,
I usually see myself withdrawing from the person or situation,once I have analized the situation in my mind I would want to confront and have honest answers,
I can be very impulsive in my desition making if I’m under pressure,and tend to make desitions mostly based on how I’m feeling at the time ,
Hear and increase learning,..
Understanding will attain wise counsel:
A wise man will hear
When I had the encounter with Jesus ; this 3 words were shown to me in the air in front of my face.“ABIDE IN ME”
Without a shadow of doubt I knew this is God’s Word to me. Prior to this I have not read the Bible and I wouldn’t understand what to read as I was not born again. But when you know it is God is speaking to you, you not only LISTEN (HEAR)
it becomes life long impact on you. When I saw this same Words in John15:4. My eyes were opened and began to read more and apply in life.
This Word gave me understanding and now not only I have received counsel from the Lord and His Word , I can share with others with assurance!
Thank you.
I always want to be teachable & open to truly learning fresh ways of hearing & humbly listening to the wise sayings of the Lord through His Word & being intentional about practically applying them to situations I may find myself in or purposely looking for opportunities with others who can benefit also. This takes consistency & commitment in waiting on the Lord & is far more than just an intellectual exercise.
“Our learning is applied and practiced over and over, the outcome is that we are anchored into a safe and strong position and so we are well prepared to help guide others to get to where we ourselves already are”
I think this point you made Allan is often overlooked. Many of us try to ‘guide’ others when we ourselves have not applied or practiced our learning adequately.
The question you asked “Under pressure, what do your reactions and decisions look like?
I think many of our reactions and decisions wouldn’t be as wise as the advice we give to others because often what we preach we don’t apply to our own lives.
I think it’s important to remember to ‘practice what you preach’.
I love this! Reminded of the importance of stepping back and taking time to reflect. Positioning myself to hear.
It’s wise to constantly and intentionally grow and learn. That staying teachable not only for ones sake but for those around you (like mentioned in yesterday’s reading about mentorship) not only for intellectual gain but practically. I remember someone using the phrase ‘being a walking library’ and how good it is to have knowledge it’s the sharing and practical outworking from what we learn. And how there’s power in reflection.
The word “hear” (to listen with the intention of obeying)… I’ve never really thought about the full depth of “hearing”. Thank you for opening me up to a new understanding – I think having a “hearing” stance is everything!
Learning by listening then practically applying. In a previous role as a training team leader I always loved attending training conducted by others. We can and should be constantly open to learning from those around us even if we are subject matter experts.
I am loving the snippets of your life story at the beginning Allan.
The key things for me are that I struggle with being under pressure. I need to think a lot about more this and work out a strategy to cope better but I loved the part where you say not to be discouraged when others don’t share your passion and backing yourself To learn as you go! Great stuff!!! Thanks
Wise hear- those who are skilled in understanding
Increase learning- hearing is one way of obtained knowledge which leads to increase learning
Obtain guidance- understand leads to obtain /seek guidance
Which allows path to wisdom and to Gods way!
I can relate to learning pyramid and thank you for sharing it too!
This one spoke to me personally as Learner is one of my strengths. One of the things that stood out for me was that when you gain understanding its doesn’t stop there, but you are to obtain guidance.
I really like the way that you’ve broken down each part of the scripture, it allows me to see it in ways I’ve not done so before.
Loved this post. Being a Learner as one of my strengths, I found this post encouraging and refreshing, reassuring.
Application being one of the important aspects of what I learn making it practical not just theoretical. Honesty, open to correction and having the willingness to learn are traits I live by and improve on.
Practice, Practice, Practice important in learning.
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”
There are two steps that are involved to obtain guidance – we need understand not just hear.
“Don’t be discouraged when others around you don’t share your passion”. An encouraging thought to hang onto while walking in wisdom.
Learning and application
Hearing and understanding are way to gain wisdom. Great insight of the verse Allan. Thank you for sharing your wisdom
This is my favourite commentary so far. Thank you Allan. 👍
Thanks Alan, one can learn a lot by just listening and one can learn much about our Lord God by reading His word. Listening to sermons and reading your blog is very encouraging and inspiring. I’ve been a Christian for many years and yet the more I learn about God’s word the more I realise how much more I need to learn and to grow.
I’ve learnt over many years it’s in the quietness that The Lord speaks to us.Taking time to be quiet ,be still,is not something the world promotes- it’s noise,bright lights,fast living,but it is when I take time to be led to ‘still waters’ that The Holy Spirit ministers to me and I find direction and that amazing peace ‘ that passes all understanding’.From this being willing to be still,to listen that wisdom comes ,God’s wisdom not just knowledge.Amazing Grace!