Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 576 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 3 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.
We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. In addition to our grandson Kip staying with us last week, we had the blessing of investing time with all of our grandkids over the weekend. Some of them even stayed overnight on Friday, which is always a fun time. Although each one is different, each of them is a precious jewel to us. In Proverbs, Solomon tells us that God’s wisdom infused within us is like wearing fine jewelry. It is also described as being more valuable than gold or silver.
So today in chapter 3 of Proverbs we will explore how wisdom is…
In this chapter, we’ve got two more speeches from the father to the son, with a poem about Lady Wisdom nestled in between.
Verses 1-12: This speech is a classic that contains some familiar verses. The father leaves behind the earlier emphasis on outside evil forces and moves on to encourage the son to address his own character. Pay attention to the physicality of the words and how often the father uses “you/your” to highlight personal works of faith and their rewards.
Give God your best of what you make, and you will prosper to the fullest with plenty of food and drink. The last two verses in this section (11-12) stand out because they don’t focus on prizes for honoring God. Instead, the father encourages the son to accept God’s discipline. Don’t lose heart when times are hard, he says, but rather trust that God corrects those He loves—like a father disciplining a son.
Verses 13-20: This is a beautiful poem about the value of wisdom, personified once more as a woman. “No gem is more precious;” the author sighs, “nothing you desire can compare with her.” The poet paints Lady Wisdom as a haven, a resting place, and a force of peace — a powerful one. In fact, she’s compared to the “tree of life” from Genesis 2:9, and in...
