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The PointGod will give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.

The Bible Meets LifeWe are swimming in information. It is estimated by Cisco’s technology research

that we will generate more unique information this year than was generated

in the last five thousand years. And most of that knowledge is at our fingertips.

More than four billion online searches are made every day according to Cisco.

But are we any wiser? Do we know how best to use that knowledge? Technology

cannot deliver to us what God can. God is the source of wisdom and the Bible

shows us that when we trust Him, we too become wise.

The PassageProverbs 2:1-6; 3:5-7

The SettingBible scholars have designated the Book of Proverbs as wisdom literature. The

words “wisdom,” “wise,” or some variation of these appear more than 100

times in the book, clearly justifying the designation. Chapters 2 and 3 are part

of a larger section in which Solomon undertakes his parental responsibility to

instruct his son (see 2:1; 3:1) in wisdom and the ways of the Lord. He specifically

emphasized that true wisdom comes only from the Lord.

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Proverbs 2:1-6; 3:5-7 (HCSB)

2:1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands

within you,

2 listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart

to understanding;

3 furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice

to understanding,

4 if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the

knowledge of god.

6 for the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge

and understanding.

3:5 trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your

own understanding;

6 think about him in all your ways, and he will guide you on the

right paths.

7 don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away

from evil.

Key Words

Fear of the LORD (2:5)—This phrase refers to the reverential awe of God because of His power and His love for us that compelled Him to provide forgiveness of sin and redemption.

Trust (3:5)—The Hebrew word means “to be confident” or “cause to be confident.” It refers to depending upon someone for safety and security. It often includes the concept of hope.

What does the Bible say?

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Notes

GET INTO ThE STUDYDISCUSS: Invite your group members to

turn their attention to the image on page

49 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG). Ask:

“What’s the wisest advice you’ve

ever embraced or ignored?”

SUMMARIZE: “Google it.” Want to

learn new methods for outdoor grilling?

Google it. Want to discover which

backpack is best for you? Google it.

Want to locate a good doctor in your

area? Google it. A search engine is great

for finding information, but where do you go for wisdom? Google it? I did, and I now

have access to 143 million websites about wisdom. But I don’t want information about

wisdom; I want wisdom itself.

SAY: “Wisdom—the insights we need for effective living—doesn’t reside within us.

Only God offers truly timeless wisdom on which we can build our lives. The Book of

Proverbs points us to the beauty of God’s wisdom.”

GUIDE: Call the group’s attention to The Point on page 50 of the PSG: “God will

give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.” Allow group members to respond to

this statement. Explain that this truth will direct our discussion today.

PRAY: Transition into the study by praying for your group members to gain a deeper

understanding of how we access and implement God’s wisdom.

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THE POINT God will give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.

10 minutes

Cut apart Pack Item #5

and have it ready to

distribute to your group.

© 2014 LifeWay

Proverbs 2:1-6

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; 3 furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, 5 then you will

understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the

LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

READ: Ask a group member to read Proverbs 2:1-6 aloud.

DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 52 of the PSG: “Where in our culture do

people look for wisdom?”

SUMMARIZE: Since God is all knowing, His wisdom is faultless and infinite.

DO: Post three tear sheets. On each one, write one sentence or question from

the activity on page 53 of the PSG. Display on a wall, the floor, or a table. Ask your

group to consider how God’s wisdom compares to worldly advice. Allow time

for group members to compile their ideas on each page. Afterwards, discuss the

responses with the whole group.

God’s Wisdom vs. Worldly Advice:

] Using words or phrases, describe God’s wisdom.

] Using words or phrases, describe worldly advice.

] Is it harder to discern godly wisdom or to put it into practice?

DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 53 of the PSG: “How do we

recognize wisdom?”

SUMMARIZE: God wants us to pursue and gain His wisdom. To do so, we:

] Ask the right Person (verse 6). God is the source of all wisdom.

] Have the right attitude (verse 2). God gives wisdom to those who have a

receptive attitude. In other words, God expects us to do what He says.

] Use the right tools (verses 3-4). God speaks through His Word, the Holy

Spirit, prayer, circumstances, and other people.

STUDY THE BIBLE

TIP: Have more than 10 people in your group? For the discussion questions, ask group members to turn to 4 or 5 people around them to discuss. This allows for more interaction and depth of discussion.

Notes

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Proverbs 2:1-6 Commentary

The Book of Proverbs is part of the collection of Old Testament wisdom literature that also includes Job,

Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs; certain passages in the Book of Psalms contain proverbial statements

as well. Solomon was the author of the vast majority of the Book of Proverbs during his 40-year reign as

king over Israel (970-930 B.C.), though other men, such as Agur (30:1) and Lemuel (31:1), contributed as

well. Scripture is clear that Solomon’s wisdom was given to him from God: “God gave Solomon wisdom,

very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29).

One of the fundamental truths of Scripture is that God is all-wise. Wisdom is the proper application and

use of knowledge. God is all knowing, thus His knowledge is infinite, as is His wisdom. This means that

God’s ways are always best and that He never makes mistakes. Fullness of life comes when we seek

wisdom from God and live according to that wisdom.

Verses 1-5 give details on several things we must do to attain wisdom. There is some overlap or repetition

in these instructions since Hebrew poetry (the entire book is poetry) has a fondness for saying the same

thing or similar things in two or more ways. Solomon identified six conditions (signified by the word “if”)

for receiving God’s wisdom that He has provided through Solomon for His people.

The first two conditions are: ”if you accept my words and store up my commands within you.” In this

verse, “words” and “commands“ are synonymous and refer to what God has revealed to us through

Solomon about how He wants us as His people to live before Him. We are then able to apply God’s

Word to our lives and please Him by making decisions each and every day that are consistent with what

He has revealed to us. Verse 2 mentions two elements that help us accomplish this: ”listening closely

to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding.” We must be proactive in reading and studying

God’s word so that wisdom and understanding spring forth from what we have learned.

Verse 3 contains the third and fourth conditions: ”if you call out to insight and lift your voice to

understanding.” The actions in verses 1-2 were internal, activities of the mind and the intellect. Next

Solomon stated that our thinking must turn into actions, at least in a metaphorical sense. This verse also

emphasizes the proactive nature of seeking godly wisdom for our lives.

The fifth and sixth conditions occur in verse 4: “if you seek it like silver and search for it like

hidden treasure.” In this verse the search for wisdom uses the imagery of a treasure hunter who is

persistent and doesn’t give up until he finds the treasure that he is seeking. These six conditions indicate

that we must do everything we can to attain the wisdom that only God can provide.

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THE POINT God will give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.

© 2014 LifeWay

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own

understanding; 6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on

the right paths.

READ: Invite a group member to read Proverbs 3:5-6 aloud.

SUMMARIZE: Wisdom is the product of a real and intimate relationship with

God. Rooted in a devotion and commitment to the Lord, wisdom grows out of

walking with God on a daily basis. As with any relationship, the more you walk

with God and grow in your relationship with Him, the more of His wisdom you‘ll

discover. So the promise of God’s guidance in verse 6 should not be understood as

a passive trust in God; it is the by-product of thinking about Him “in all your ways.”

DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 54 of the PSG: “How do you navigate

the tension between trusting God’s wisdom and trusting your

own competence?”

SAY: “The Hebrew word used here for ‘trust’ indicates confidence and safety in

the object or the one trusted. It also includes hope, a confident expectation about

the future. When it comes to trusting God, we can confidently trust in One who

has infinite power, infinite knowledge, and infinite wisdom.”

SUMMARIZE: The way to wisdom is in trusting the Lord to give the guidance

needed. What does it look like to trust the Lord?

] Wait on God and His perfect timing. God knows everything and is in

complete control, so you can surrender the details of every situation to Him.

God is never late. He is always on time according to His wisdom and will.

] Rely on God’s wisdom rather than our human understanding.

Relying on God shouldn’t be a passive activity. Take the time to deliberately

study and meditate on God’s Word to gain His perspective on your life.

TRANSITION: Trust and obedience to God will result in receiving divine wisdom;

Your trust is reflected in your obedience.

STUDY THE BIBLE

Notes

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Commentary

“Trust in the Lord” and statements similar to it occur repeatedly in Scripture. The Hebrew word used

here indicates confidence and safety in the object or the one trusted. It also includes hope, a confident

expectation about the future. In the case of trusting God, this is not blind faith but trust in One who has

infinite power, infinite knowledge, and infinite wisdom, which gives us confidence to rely on Him.

The trust that God expects of us is described positively and negatively: you must trust in Him ”with

all your heart and not rely on your own understanding.” Human intellectual prowess is worthless

when it comes to grasping spiritual truths. Paul said that believers “do not put confidence in the flesh”

(Philippians 3:3), that is, our natural abilities. This verse does not denounce intellectual pursuits; rather, it

challenges us to make sure our intellect is in tune with God’s Word and will. Duane Garrett’s comments

on verse 5 are especially helpful and applicable:

“The command to trust God ‘with all your heart’ means that the total personality is to be committed

to God’s care, although it emphasizes the mind and volition. The prohibitions against depending on

one’s own understanding and against intellectual pride (vv. 5b, 7a) implicitly reject a ‘secular’ search

for wisdom and look back to the thesis of the book (1:7).

Although this passage certainly condemns any academic arrogance, it does not indulge in anti-

intellectualism. The commitment of the heart to God means that all the beliefs and decisions of life

are to be submitted to Yahweh. Even very practical decisions are in view here, and not just matters of

academic pursuit. But the text is no more opposed to academic research per se than to any normal

activity of life. Also, ‘understanding’ implies not just intellectual capacity but one’s own moral

standards. One’s private vision of right and wrong must be submitted to God.” 1

Verse 6 includes another command and the result that comes from obedience to God: “think about Him

in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” One of the challenges God’s people face on

a daily basis is to make decisions in light of what God says about them. We need to filter everything

through the teachings of God’s Word, which is the primary focus of this command. When we do this, we

can be confident that God’s Word will provide guidance so that we can continue “on the right paths.“

The antithesis of this, of course, is to ignore God’s Word and do whatever we enjoy doing—like the

rebellious people in the days of the judges: “everyone did whatever he wanted” (Judges 21:25).

1. duane A. garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, vol. 14 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1993), 80-81.

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THE POINT God will give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.

© 2014 LifeWay

Proverbs 3:7

7 Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

READ: Invite a group member to read Proverbs 3:7 aloud.

SAY: “In this verse, we’re warned against thinking too highly of ourselves. Wisdom

is not merely common sense, simply being reasonable or rational, intuition,

instinct, or sanctified guessing. Wisdom is a supernatural product of divine

discernment given by God through His Spirit.”

SUMMARIZE: God’s ways are above our ways, and His thoughts are above our

thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). By disavowing our own wisdom, we resist the temptation

to overestimate our own insight. Conversely, when we fail to humble ourselves

in this way, our sinful humanity quickly exalts itself. This creates a self-sufficiency

which can lead us to elevate ourselves and reject God’s authority in other areas of

our lives.

DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 55 of the PSG: “How can a person

intentionally cultivate humility?”

TRANSITION: Humble trust is the posture of the truly wise. Any other posture

will keep us from God’s wisdom—and God’s best.

STUDY THE BIBLE

Notes

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Proverbs 3:7 Commentary

Verse 7 is a command that warns against thinking too highly of ourselves, something that seems to be

an innate part of the human condition: “Don’t consider yourself to be wise.” Since true wisdom comes

from God, none of us are wise when left to our own abilities. It is helpful to remember that the contrast

between the wise and the fool in Scripture has nothing to do with a person’s IQ. As we saw earlier, “The

fool says in his heart, ‘God does not exist’ ” (Psalm 14:1). Many brilliant people have denied the existence

of God—but Scripture says they are fools. In Scripture, the difference between the wise and the fool is

that wise people know God and make life decisions based on what He has revealed to them in His Word.

The fool, in his arrogance and self-confidence, ignores God even to the point of denying that He exists.

The antithesis of thinking of ourselves as wise is in the rest of the verse: “fear the LORD and turn away

from evil.” Solomon returned once again to the theme of the Book of Proverbs (1:7), commanding his

son (and us) to fear God. It is common among religious people to say they believe in God while at the

same time living as if such a belief has no impact on their lives. Sadly, this “practical atheism” occurs

among people who consider themselves Christians. When those who profess to be Christ followers

spend little or no time in the study of Scripture and serving Him, the fear or reverence of God can hardly

be said to be an integral part of their lives.

The connection between wisdom in the Old Testament and in the New Testament is one of perspective.

James says that “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without

criticizing, and it will be given to him” (1:5). The New Testament is consistent with the Old Testament in

saying wisdom comes from God, but the New Testament focuses on Christ and one’s relationship with

Him as the essence of wisdom rather than life under the Mosaic covenant. The common denominator is

that wisdom is based on what God has revealed about Himself and what He expects of those who are in

a relationship with Him. The definitive passage on this is in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

“Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made

the world’s wisdom foolish? For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom,

God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. For

the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block

to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ

is God’s power and God’s wisdom, because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and

God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1:20-25).”

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THE POINT God will give me wisdom when I humbly seek it.

© 2014 LifeWay

Notes

LIVE IT OUTSAY: “How can we put these principles into practice?”

GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the three responses to the Bible study

listed on page 56 of the PSG.

] Single out one area of life in which you want to pursue godly wisdom

intentionally. Pray daily for this and be on the lookout for how God provides.

] Read, watch, or listen. This week, choose a book, podcast, or film on a

Christian topic that interests you deeply. God is the source of wisdom, so as

you learn, ask the Holy Spirit to give you His wisdom.

] Immerse yourself in God’s Word. Adopt a strategy to study Scripture.

Need a place to start? Check out BibleGateway.com for a wide selection of

reading plans.

ENHANCEMENT: Distribute Pack Item #5, Proverbs 3:5-6 Memory Verse Cards,

and encourage your group members to commit this passage to memory.

Wrap It Up

SAY: “In our society, there’s no shortage of access to information. Wisdom, on the

other hand, is a rare find. Seek and ask humbly, and you’ll find wisdom—

God’s wisdom. He’s prepared at all times to give what you need.“

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My group's prayer requests

Leading a group just for women, men, singLes, or CoLLegiates? get customized discussion questions & ideas at BibleStudiesforLife.com/blog.

Stripping the Veneer

My life is a walking contradiction. My inward dialogue sounds something like this: I’m a follower of Christ who has experienced His redemptive touch. I’m … (gasp!) self-seeking and superficial. I have no rational reason for these contradictory realities. To openly confess this feels as if I swallowed an entire apple … and it settled in my throat.

to continue reading “Stripping the Veneer” from HomeLife magazine, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.

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