Mensa Otabil - Listen to Wisdom
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Well, we spent the week talking about wisdom, and we’ve looked at it from different points of view. We are concluding this week’s teaching on wisdom, but as I said, it’s a two- week teaching, so I’ll look at wisdom again next week. However, we are wrapping up what we’ve learned this week this Sunday in Proverbs chapter 8, verses 32-34.
Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
So wisdom is telling us how to treat her. If we want to be wise, wisdom says this is how you have to treat me, and it talks about several things that we have to do. I’ll just point out four of them. First, wisdom says, «Listen to me.» We started by saying that wisdom is all over; it’s not hidden, it’s not a secret, and it’s not in a valley. It’s on the mountaintop. Wisdom is by the roadside; it’s at a junction. Wisdom is at the gate; it is at the door. So listen, pay attention. If you want to be wise, you have to be a good listener. Pay attention, be observant, and watch things happening around you.
Secondly, wisdom says, «Keep my ways.» When wisdom instructs you, you have to remember the ways of wisdom. Don’t forget them; keep my ways. Continue in the path of wisdom. Many times, people will try to sidetrack you. You’re going to hear all kinds of voices trying to lead you one way or the other, but continue in the way of wisdom. Walk in the path that wisdom teaches you. You have to understand it’s a lifetime pursuit. You don’t just go to a seminar, say, «I want to be wise,» and after the seminar stop. No, it’s a lifetime pursuit. You seek wisdom, and you have to pursue it all the days of your life.
So wisdom says, «Keep my ways. Listen, keep my ways.» Number three, it says, «Watch daily at my gates.» Be alert for wisdom; be in expectancy. Watch at the gates; always be in a state of learning. It’s one of the attitudes we have to have in our hearts that no matter how much we know or how well we understand, we are constantly eager to learn. One of the ways I have discovered to learn as a person is to ask questions. You know, when you read the Scriptures, the first time we see Jesus as a responsible person behaving was when he was 12 years old. He went to the temple, and if you read the biblical record, it says he was asking questions. He is the Lord of lords; he’s the King of kings. But he didn’t come and start by talking and saying, «Everybody listen to me.» He started by asking questions, and people were impressed with his questions.
If you want to be wise, you have to ask questions. You have to ask yourself questions. When you read a document, ask the document questions. When you read something in the news, ask questions. Don’t just be simple-minded and believe everything you hear. You have to be a person who asks questions if you want to be wise. So listen to me, keep my ways, watch daily at my gates.
And I say one of the ways to do that is to ask questions. Then wisdom says, «Don’t disdain me.» Don’t get tired of wisdom; don’t belittle it. It’s very easy for us to belittle wisdom. In our part of the world, people like action, even if the action has no knowledge behind it or no wisdom behind it. The fact that something is happening is very important to us. Action without knowledge will not give you the progress you’re looking for. So we don’t have to disdain knowledge; we don’t have to call it " just knowledge.» If you have wisdom, it will fill your life with all the good things you are looking for. Don’t belittle wisdom; it’s the principal thing you have to go looking for.
Wisdom ends by saying that when we find her, we will find favor with God. Not only do you find favor with wisdom, but you find favor with God. When you find wisdom, God favors your life, and he makes your life better. I pray that all that we’ve learned about concerning wisdom this week will be applicable in your life, that it will apply to your life, and then you will begin to see the fruit of wisdom coming out of your life.
Let us pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, teach my heart to know your ways and my ears to discern the voice of wisdom. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»