One of the advantages that one receives as they DATE the Word is they acquire the insights for living a wise life. This lesson presents what a wise person will be doing.
- A wise person is one who has made a decision to fear the Lord.
In Proverbs 9:10 we find, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
What does it mean to fear the Lord? This means that they first and foremost believe that God exists and then they worship Him, standing in awe of Him and giving adoration to Him. To fear the Lord is not to be afraid of Him as much as it is to have a reverence and a respect for Him. This reverence and respect is translated then into obedience to Him. Making the decision to fear the Lord is truly the cornerstone decision for life. After Solomon had tried everything under the sun he concluded that fearing God and keeping His commandments is what life is all about. Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” When one fears the Lord they will experience true satisfaction in life as Proverbs 19:23 teaches, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.” As one lives out the fear of the Lord they will make decisions that honor the Lord as Nehemiah did in Nehemiah 5:15, “But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.”
2. A wise person is teachable, paying attention to wise instructions and striving to learn as much as possible.
In Proverbs 1:5 we find that “a wise person will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.”
“The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15
“Wise people store up knowledge.” Proverbs 10:14a
Ecclesiastes 10:10 sharpen the axe and get more done.
When you stop learning you are through. Always be learning – John Wooden
Learn Forever, Die Tomorrow: “Early on I came to believe that you should learn as if you were going to live forever, and live as if you were going to die tomorrow. What does this mean? In the simplest way, I would like to explain it like this. Always be learning, acquiring knowledge, and seeking wisdom with a sense that you are immortal and that you will need much knowledge and wisdom for that long journey ahead. Know that when you are through learning, you are through. But I want to live that life as if I were going to die tomorrow: with relish, immediacy, and the right priorities. I also will not waste even a minute.” John Wooden
3. A wise person learns and applies the Word of God to their life.
At the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that a person who listens to His Words and applies them is a wise person. “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rocks; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
A wise person reads, hears, studies, memorizes, meditates, and applies God’s Word to their life.
4. A wise man knows the brevity of life.
In Psalm 90:12 We see a request that one would be wise by understanding there are only so many day a person will live. “So teach us to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.”
Understanding that life does come with a deadline, an unexpected deadline, causes one to then live each day to the fullest.
5. A wise person receives and responds to Correction and Rebukes.
A wise person embraces correction as a teachable moment. Proverbs 9:8b-9 says, “Rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be wiser. Teach a just man and he will increase in learning.”
“The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise.” Proverbs 15:31
“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Proverbs 12:1
“A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise.” Proverbs 15:12
6. A wise person will have and use Counselors/advisors
Proverbs 12:15 tells us, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.”
Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” *See Proverbs 15:22.
A wise person puts together a “board of directors.” This board will help you face the various tough decisions of life.
7. A wise person respects and obeys God’s Restrictions
Proverbs 10:8 tells us that “the wise in heart will receive commands but a prating fool will fall.”
In Proverbs 13:14 we find, “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”
Proverbs 15:24 says, “The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below.”
A wise person has established principles (laws, ways) that guide his or her life. These principles guide their decision making with the results being a fuller, more enjoyable life. See Daniel 1:8
Commands (Restrictions) are not put in place to harm us, but rather to protect us. When God gives a command, He is simply saying to us, “Don’t hurt yourself.” A wise person will not disregard restrictions, but rather, respect them.
Discipline is not what you do to yourself. It is what you do for yourself. Lou Holtz
8. A wise person chooses his friends carefully, knowing that friends have tremendous influence.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise men will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed.”
One the most important principles Solomon wanted his son to know was a wise person will make sure to associate with wise people.
Proverbs 12:26 says, “The righteous should choose his friend carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
Psalm 1 begins by saying the blessing person will take precaution in whom they let influence them.
9. A wise person will remove himself from temptation, understanding the incredible power it has.
Proverbs 14:16 teaches us that “a wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.”
Paul told Timothy to “flee youthful lust.” The idea behind the word “flee” is to become a fugitive. Don’t let sin find you.
Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray is not wise.”
Some people walk into temptation, some people walk to temptation.
10. A wise person knows how to restrain their tongue as well as how to use it.
Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
In Proverbs 12:18 we find that “there is one that speaks like the piercing of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.” A wise person knows the power of a word, knowing that it can build up or it can tear down. The wise person will discipline their speech. They know how to say the right thing at the right time in the right way.
Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.
11. A wise person seeks to understand a conflict and find the truth of the matter.
Proverbs 24:23 “These things also belong to the wise; It is not good to show partiality in judgment.”
Proverbs 18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
Proverbs 18:17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
A wise person will not jump quickly to a conclusion as they desire to hear both sides of a situation.
12. The wise person is one who is diligent (responsible) as opposed to lazy when it comes to work.
In Proverbs 10:4-5 we find, “He who deals with a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes one rich. He who gathers in the Summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.”
Solomon describes the outcome. See Proverbs 24:30-34 to see what happens to the lazy.
I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” Vince Lombardi
“People who never do any more than they get paid for never get paid for any more than they do.” Albert Hubbard
13. A wise person controls their temper.
Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool vents his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.”
Proverbs 19:11 “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger and his glory is to overlook a transgression.”
Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
14. A wise man is wise with their money.
Proverbs 21:20 “there is desirable treasure, and oil is in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.” A fool and his money is soon parted.
A person needs to know how to make money, manage money and master money.
15. A wise person is a soul winner.
Proverbs 11:30 tells us that “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”
A wise person is one who has been saved and now seeks to influence others to trust the Lord.
The wise person knows there is life after death (Proverbs 23:18) and that there are two possible destinations. The wise point people to Christ, which is the only way to heaven.
Soul winning is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.
To recap:
1. A wise person is one who has made a decision to FEAR the Lord.
2. A wise person is TEACHABLE .
3. A wise person learns and applies the WORD of GOD to their life.
4. A wise man knows the BREVITY of life.
5. A wise person receives and responds to CORRECTION and Rebukes.
6. A wise person will have and use COUNSELORS/ADVISORS.
7. A wise person respects and obeys God’s RESTRICTIONS.
8. A wise person chooses his FRIENDS carefully.
9. A wise person will REMOVE himself from TEMPTATION.
10. A wise person knows how to RESTRAIN their TONGUE as well as how to use it.
11. A wise person seeks to UNDERSTAND a CONFLICT.
12. The wise person as one who is DILIGENT (responsible) as opposed to lazy when it comes to work.
13. A wise person CONTROLS his TEMPER.
14. A wise man is WISE with his MONEY.
15. A wise person WINS SOULS
An Article written by our founder Dwayne Carson
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