The building blocks of wisdom are clearly and carefully enunciated in Proverbs 3:3-12. In part one, the following fundamentals of wisdom were considered:
- Make truth and mercy your constant companions.
- Place all your trust and confidence in God.
- Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
The rest of the passage adds these two additional components of wisdom:
- Honor the Lord by prioritizing properly. “Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase, so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine” (verses 9-10). Not only does Jehovah bless our labor, He also is the One who gives us the health to have labors to bless (Deuteronomy 8:18). We must put our money where our mouth is. To give of one’s first fruits is an act of faith. To give of one’s first fruits is to demonstrate a proper understanding of Jehovah’s glory and worthiness. To give of one’s first fruits is to prioritize and honor the Lord properly in this sphere of life.
- Refuse to be bitter when God’s chastening and correction come in life. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction, for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (verse 11-12). Every loving father seeks to drive the foolishness that is bound up in the heart of his child (Proverbs 22:15). God is no different. Though unpleasant, God’s chastening and correction is always for the purpose of making us better—so that we might be partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10-11). As Job can attest, there are times when God’s chastening comes when we have done the right thing. When chastened by God, every one of His children has to decide whether he will become bitter or better. Choose better.
