Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Psalm 44 and Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7 vividly describes a young, simple man’s slide into sexual immorality. It makes crystal clear that his slide into sin began and then later picked up speed because of a lack of wisdom; which is why the chapter begins with an exhortation to prioritise the acquisition of wisdom. The father writing the proverb deeply desired his son to be spared the death and destruction that results from sexual sin, and he knew that the best way to ensure this was for the son to prioritise the acquisition of wisdom.

According to verses 1-4, we can cultivate wisdom by listening carefully to the advice of those who are wiser than we are (often through burning their own fingers in the past), remembering their advice, treasuring it in our hearts by thinking about it often, pondering its implications deliberately, valuing it as highly as we value our own eyes and, ultimately, following it diligently. Treating good and wise advice in this way is like cultivating a deep relationship with wisdom, the way we might enjoy a deep relationship with a beloved member of our family, and it allows wisdom to soak into the fabric of our lives, to create a protective layer and a defensive shield.

God of Wisdom, help me to guard my heart and life through the acquisition of wisdom. Please bring wise counsellors into my life to impart their acquired wisdom to me, so that I may take wisdom into my own life as a shield of defence against temptation and foolishness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.