Read, Turn, and Apply: Walking in Godly Wisdom

Proverbs 2:1-5

“My son, if accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

In mystery shows, you always get more than one side of the story. Different witnesses see different things and can have totally different views of the same event. They may all have witnessed the same occurrence, yet their understanding of what happened can vary. If you haven’t seen the movie My Cousin Vinny, you have to rent it after reading this blog; different people, different viewpoints, same events. So, who’s right?

Below are two versions of the same verse, one from the NIV and the other from the Amplified Bible. I highlighted the phrase in verse 2 so you can see both versions. When I read, I usually use the NLT, but when I want to dive into the meaning of verses, I often turn to the Amplified version. I also like to pray the Word, so these verses are best read as a prayer:

Father, I accept Your words and store up Your commands within me. I pray that I turn my ear to Your wisdom and apply my heart to Your understanding.

Two things to focus on today:

1. Seek skillful and godly wisdom,
2. Seek it intentionally and pursue it eagerly,

You can’t become a mechanic by just sitting in a garage; you have to learn how to fix vehicles, and over time, you become a mechanic. Likewise, you will never find or understand the fear and knowledge of God without learning His Word, the Bible. Start today, just one chapter.

Remember, it’s not a direct understanding of the Bible you’re seeking, but a deeper understanding of God and a higher level of relationship with Him. John 5:39 says, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” Our ultimate goal is to know Jesus, be led by the Holy Spirit, and spread the good news.

Approach it with a “we get to do this” mindset rather than a “we must do this” mindset. Focus on perfecting the why and the what, and don’t get too set on the how. I’m sure spitting in the mud and covering a man’s eyes to give him sight was a little awkward, but God got the job done. Let’s strive for the right things of God without getting stuck on the method. Embrace new music, listen to new preaching, take a discipleship class, keep learning, and get to know the Author and Finisher of your faith.

Prayer: Father, help us stay attentive to godly wisdom, cry out for insight, and seek Your voice of understanding. I pray that I search for Your wisdom as if it were the most precious thing I own. I also pray that I understand the fear of the Lord, regard You as awesome, and discover the knowledge of God in Jesus’ name, Amen.