Seeking Wisdom

Tonight, we're going to talk about Solomon. He's such an interesting figure—so deeply spiritual and connected with God at times, and at other times, not so much.

When people think of Solomon, they often think of his wisdom. Some remember the many wives and concubines or his building of the temple. But for me, it’s his wisdom that stands out.

It’s fitting that Solomon’s writings are part of what we call “Wisdom Literature” in the Bible. Tonight, we're going to spend some time in the book of Proverbs.

The Nature of Proverbs

Proverbs is a unique book. Most of its passages are just a verse or two—short statements filled with meaning. For example:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
– Proverbs 1:7

If we want to be wise, we need to fear God. We need to seek His knowledge and not be like fools who reject instruction.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t a great student in high school. I didn’t value instruction back then—but somewhere along the way, that changed. And that’s what I want for all of us—to approach Proverbs with the goal of gaining wisdom, learning to fear God, and keeping His commandments.

Personification of Wisdom

One fascinating aspect of Proverbs is the way wisdom is personified—as if wisdom were a person calling out to us. Here’s one example:

"Wisdom shouts in the streets, she lifts her voice in the square."
– Proverbs 1:20

Obviously, wisdom isn’t a person—but God uses personification to help us understand. Wisdom is portrayed as someone standing in the streets, urgently trying to get our attention.

Proverbs 8 is a longer section that paints wisdom as an eternal attribute of God—something that’s always existed with Him.

Let’s look at Proverbs 8:22–23:

"The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth."

That’s poetry—beautiful and meaningful. Unlike poetry that relies on rhyme and meter (which can get lost in translation), Hebrew poetry uses parallel thoughts. That means the meaning remains intact no matter the language, which is one of the reasons we know the Bible is inspired.

God’s wisdom is eternal. It doesn’t change like worldly wisdom, which shifts constantly.

The Fleeting Nature of Worldly Wisdom

Let’s take a moment to reflect on worldly wisdom.

In the 1960s, scientists were predicting global cooling. Panic ensued. Later, it became global warming. Vice President Al Gore predicted the polar ice caps would disappear by 2015—yet here we are.

What happened? Worldly wisdom changed. But God’s wisdom endures.

"The wisdom of this world is foolishness before God."
– 1 Corinthians 3:19

We may think we’re wise, but compared to God, our greatest ideas are often foolishness.

Another example: the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world in 2012. We’re still here.

Worldly wisdom is not lasting. But God's wisdom stands forever. It was with Him at creation:

"When He established the heavens, I was there."
– Proverbs 8:27

Wisdom Brings Joy to God

Proverbs 8:30 says:

"Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him."

This doesn’t mean a literal person was standing next to God. It means wisdom was there as an essential part of who God is—and God rejoiced in it.

And the amazing thing? He invites us to share in that wisdom.

"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways."
– Proverbs 8:32

Listen to Wisdom and Live

In order to share wisdom, we must first pay attention to it.

You can’t teach what you don’t understand. And if we don’t seek God’s wisdom, we’ll have nothing of value to share.

God’s wisdom has credibility. It works. It’s been tested. And when we live by it, our lives look different.

"He who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil."
– Proverbs 1:33

No, this doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. Christians face trials too. But wisdom gives us hope and strength to endure.

Think of Hebrews 11—the great chapter on faith. Why did the heroes of faith endure so much?

"They desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God."
– Hebrews 11:16

They looked toward something better. That’s what kept them going. And we can do the same.

The Danger of Rejecting Wisdom

But what if we don’t listen?

"He who sins against me injures himself; all those who hate me love death."
– Proverbs 8:36

When we reject wisdom, we hurt ourselves. Rebellion isn’t freeing—it’s destructive.

Temporary pleasures can pull us away from eternal blessings.

"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the falseness of the treacherous will destroy them."
– Proverbs 11:3

The Eternal Call

Moses is a powerful example. He gave up the temporary riches of Pharaoh’s house to suffer with God’s people because he saw the eternal reward.

"Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
– Hebrews 11:25 (KJV)

God’s wisdom leads to life. The cross may not make sense to the world, but it is the wisdom of God.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
– John 14:6

Final Thoughts

So what do we take from all this?

"He who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord."
– Proverbs 8:35

God’s wisdom is eternal. It doesn’t fade or change. It’s not a fad or trend. It’s enduring truth. And it calls out to us.

Let’s stop playing around. Let’s commit to the path that leads to life.

We don’t earn heaven—Jesus did the work. We just step into the family so we can inherit what God has prepared for us.

So again, Proverbs 8:36:

"He who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death."

Don’t injure yourself. Don’t reject wisdom. Embrace the wisdom of God, and commit to life.