Proverbs 4 - Hang On Tight!
- Chad Werkhoven
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Getting and holding on to wisdom will cost you, but it's worth every penny.
Proverbs 4 (NASB95)
1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
2 For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
4 Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings
And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
And health to all their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.
Heidelberg Catechism
Q&A 113
Q. What is God’s will for you in the tenth commandment?
A. That not even the slightest thought or desire
contrary to any one of God’s commandments
should ever arise in my heart.
Rather, with all my heart
I should always hate sin
and take pleasure in whatever is right.
Summary
Today's teaching comes in the form that so many of the Proverbs do - especially in these opening chapters: a father conveying sound teaching and instruction to his sons. It doesn't take much imagination to see the larger picture lying behind the original context of Solomon teaching his own sons (his actual experience doing so was not nearly as elegant as his written advice here is). Although these words come through Solomon's inspired pen, they are your Father's loving counsel to you, as those who've been made His royal 'sons' in Jesus Christ.
Wisdom is personified in the Proverbs, and our Father refers to Wisdom with feminine pronouns:
Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom, who along with an unruly woman named Folly (Proverbs 9:13), is one of two ladies continually beckoning for your attention. And once again, it doesn't take much imagination to understand why Folly gets followed much more often in a world filled with mind-numbed people controlled only by their appetites.
But this is the crux of our Father's advice here today: Although our Folly-filled society seems to offer you so much, do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. Instead of squandering every dime futilely trying to find fulfillment in Folly, acquire wisdom... though it cost all that you have, get understanding (NIV).
Dig Deeper
It's so easy to slip into a 'let go and let God' mentality as Christians - especially for Reformed Christians like us who highly value God's sovereignty. After all, He has called us to Himself, renewed our hearts and minds so that we recognize Truth, and given us faith. Nothing can ever pry us from His hands.
All of that, of course, is absolutely true. Many of us spent all of last year being reminded of this as we worked our way through the Doctrines of Grace in the Canons of Dordt.
But don't miss the absolute concentration and devotion that your Father calls you to as you navigate life:
Do not abandon my instruction;
Let your heart hold fast my words;
Take hold of instruction; do not let go;
Give attention to my words... Do not let them depart from your sight;
Watch over your heart with all diligence;
Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you;
Watch the path of your feet;
Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.
The narrow road that Christ called you to walk is not easy. Every step is difficult and fraught with danger, with steep, slippery slopes of temptation on both sides. Yes, your Father holds you tightly and will not let go, but just as He explains here in Proverbs 4, He expects you to make every effort to live a holy life (2 Peter 1:5).
But this sounds all so exhaustingly impossible! It doesn't just sound this way, on your own it is this way!
This is exactly why the author of the book of Hebrews - himself no stranger to the Doctrines of Grace - admonishes you to fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith... so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who directs us in the way of wisdom;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the concentration and devotion necessary to walk the narrow road that your Father guides you down;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
