The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Summary: Life is full of unanswered questions. God’s word points us to the important ones and shows us what we need to be focused on.
Long before Nike came out with their motto, “Just do it!” God had this motto: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom!” You don’t suppose that Nike copied God, do you?
As simplistic as it sounds, “Get wisdom” is the perfect beginning of wisdom. The very act of getting wisdom shows that a person has wisdom. The foolish person will not even bother. In fact, if they passed wisdom sitting beside the road, they would not even recognize her.
Do you understand? Getting understanding is the other side of the same coin.
When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables, he replied:
“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Matthew 13: 11-12)
Jesus then quoted Jeremiah:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand." (Matthew 13:13)
The human condition is a paradox. On the surface, it appears that we are simply an accident of nature. The body has its needs and life is the means to fulfill those needs. Behind the surface is an invisible realm. Our spiritual nature is at odds with our physical body and our worldly existence.
Wisdom is knowing that there are things we do not know. Understanding grasps that there is a reality we cannot see and that can have an impact on what we know.
Once a person sees this, it cannot be unseen. We can turn our back on this truth, but it remains. Those who have never seen it are like kittens whose eyes have not yet opened. Some people never open their eyes.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
The beginning of seeing is this: Open your eyes.
Understanding is what happens when we accept these truths.
Application: Understand that we need wisdom.
Food for Thought: How much could getting understanding cost?
It always amazes me that we have all the wisdom and understanding we need at our fingertips and yet there seems to be little value given to obtaining it. According to what I recently saw in a Barna poll, only 9% of American adult Christians read their Bible on a daily basis. Rather than having a hunger for truth, understanding and wisdom, there appears to be great apathy. We are entertaining ourselves to death.
At least in the US, with the availability of God’s word and the access to study tools, we don’t even have to go to great lengths to obtain understanding. It is available, but we tend not to see its value.
Matthew 5: 6 tells us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled. My prayer for myself, my family and church family is that we would hunger and thirst for righteousness – which means we will hunger and thirst for Christ and His word. Sometimes the question is not even what will it cost – but rather do we have an appetite?
Rich,
Several months ago my wife and I changed our diet to eliminate as much sodium as possible. The change has ‘opened my eyes’ to many things about the way we eat. A lot of the fast food we used to rely on is no longer an option. Our new diet is focused on basic foods that are unprocessed.
You ask, “do we have an appetite [for God’s Word]?” There is a lot of “fast food” in the the world when it comes to the kinds of information we consume. God’s Word competes with the news, social media, entertainment (a million options here!), and so on.
Your question is an excellent one. Maybe our society needs a change of diet…
The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
How much could getting understanding cost?
First, what is understanding? The Hebrew word appears to mean understanding, discernment, intelligence, insight, knowledge.
What does gaining those things cost? Perhaps pride. We cannot claim to already know something if we are learning it. Or others mock us for not doing what everyone else is doing.
Time, make it a priority, give up empty entertainment for something that imparts understanding. Sometimes we learn from some long winded teachers. Just because they take a while or give a generous amount of context doesn’t mean you should stop listening.
Understanding and wisdom go together. To be honest the cost only matters if you value what you give up more than what you gain. Time and pride are worth giving up to gain: self discipline, patience, understanding, wisdom….
Just as the apostle Paul was okay giving up his pedigree according to the Law because he gained Jesus. Salvation is worth more than money, or status, or worldly honors, or comfort.
A —
You offer us a great insight today. The cost of understanding is … pride. Well said! Thank you.
02-19-2022, Proverbs 4:7, How much could getting understanding cost?
The cost is total in principle and may for some be total in actual experience. In the end, as Paul writes, having Jesus means gain, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
We must choose to cease conforming to the pattern of this world, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will for all mankind.
Philippians 3:8, Romans 12:2
Believers are not told to go off and abandon our responsibilities, but to make a choice and determine Jesus is to be our first love by such a wide margin that our feelings for home and family or anything else that distracts us from loving Him are almost like hate in comparison.
Matthew 22:37, Luke 14:26-33
The full cost of discipleship is not known at the time of our salvation through repentance and is only revealed as we begin the process of growth in Christ by responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
At 33 years old, as a new believer I was filled with an excitement and peace I could not recall ever experiencing before. I hurried to my family to tell them of Jesus.
My father cried and with tears running down His face said, “ I have worked my entire life to keep you out of church, and here you are now, a Blank, Blank Christian.” I turned and quietly left.
I lived with two other single men in a huge beautiful home where any sin desired was plentiful. The Spirit of God very clearly told me to move. I bought my own house, hired movers, took a day off work and moved everything I owned leaving no forwarding address. Totally separated myself from all temptations and spent the next five years living by myself and studying my Bible and giving myself to God to the best of my ability.
Eventually my entire family faded away and to this day we have no relationship. Christ comes into each of us by individual choice.
I’m sorry for all who reject His call, but my wife, my children and I have all chosen to accept Christ and today live in His peace.
Ron,
Your story, from the world’s point of view, is a tragic one. Yet it is a most quintessential example of what it means to choose between Jesus and the world. In that sense, it is not tragic at all, but a reason for celebration.
So yes, the cost of understanding is not much. Only everything we have in this world. 🙂
Jesus paid the price and calls to all John 3:16, John 16:8, so we can trade unrighteousness for righteousness, corruptible for incorruptible, death for life, temporary for eternal.
Praise God for His Love and Patience.
Blessings,
Ron
The cost of getting understanding could be everything, or nothing. It could be simple words or command from God. “go sell everything and follow Me”.
Understanding that you need to give up your wealth, or that you get to follow Jesus.
Understanding this world and what your flesh desires, or to know our God and to serve our Lord?
Two different kinds of understand and like you said Jeff one is understanding with your eyes opened.
Thanks Tim.
Yep. All of us have had our eyes closed at some point. Then we opened them to the reality of God. Then … everything changes.
🙂