Proverbs 9:9 [ESV] Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning
I thought I was wise. At the age of 10 I knew I had to get away. At the age of 20 I thought I was the way. At the age of 30 I knew I had lost my way. And at the age of 40 I found myself walking in the way.
Wisdom is not compliance, it is not following the crowd, or even leading the crowd. Wisdom is not found in palaces, or in poverty, both can live happily ignorant.
Wisdom is found when we recognise we don’t have it, can’t own it, and don’t deserve it. Wisdom is companions with gratitude, and humility, they go everywhere hands held together. They are best friends forever.
Wisdom is found in our heart when we open the door and invite Jesus in to live with us.
KNOWLEDGE
If we are to truly increase then we have to be open to receive. To receive wisdom, we must be willing to admit our need and our lack. So godly increase is predicated upon humility.
Simon Sinek says he is a life-long student who will always ask the questions that others struggle to ask as they fear looking like they don’t know.
It’s liberating to be transparent with knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Math 18:3 says “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”
The word for “turn” here is “strepho” – to make a change of substance.
Is it time for a change or substance and adoption of humility?
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 used for “increase” is pronounced as “yasap” in Hebrew, and carries the meaning – to add to, do once more, to do again, to gain, and to be joined.
In the LXX the word used is – δέχεσθαι [dechesthai] and a variation of this word appears 56 times in the New Testament – δέχομαι [dechomai] – to receive.
WISDOM – be wise with who you are wise with, and look for your wisdom in those who are already wise. True wisdom is a holy life of skill in trade, conflict, war, and craft.
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Developer as a Gallup strength wants others to win, and will sow and sow to help those with promise. Be careful around “lost causes” as you will give for no return.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – Bring help to be constant and durable to a skilled and godly craftsman or wisdom and he will gain skill, wisdom, and impact; seek life for a man with godly standards and he will continue to gain and add to in instruction, teaching and learning.
Give instruction – Bring help to be constant and durable
to a wise man – to a skilled Godly craftsman of wisdom
and he will be still wiser; – and he will gain skill, wisdom, and impact;
Teach a righteous man – seek life for a man with a proper godly standards
and he will increase – and he will continue to gain and add to
in learning – in instruction, teaching and learning.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to be one who is constant and durable, and to seek out those who are constant and durable in your kingdom.
To chat to me as a professional coach/mentor – allan@theallankey.com
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