Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24

In order to have wisdom we must be one who has discernment. What is interesting is what the Scriptures have to say about how we get this "discernment." We are told by James that if we lack wisdom we should, "ask of God" (James 1:5). We are also told that God offers this wisdom as One who gives freely to all without rebuke when they ask. In Proverbs 2:6 we are told ". . . the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." This is a promise of the same thing mentioned here in Proverbs 17:24. It is only when we turn to God and listen to what He has to say that we have what is necessary to grasp wisdom. The discernment needed for this is the ability to determine what differs between two things. The vast majority of decisions we will have to make in life will involve one of two choices placed before us. If we cannot discern the difference between these two things - we will not "understand" which is the will of God and which is not. The wise man knows only because he fills his mind with the Word of God - and learns to discern and distinguish between things because of the counsel he receives from God as a result of meditating upon the Word. He sees clearly and can distinguish between things that are worldly, fleshly, and spiritual.

The fool knows of no such wisdom. His eyes are not fixed on God, but on the "ends of the earth." The fool looks everywhere for answers - everywhere except God's Word. He looks to the wisdom of man, the wisdom of godless scholars, the thoughts and meditation of gurus, or to his own understanding. Others turn to a darker side, looking to false religion, the occult, spiritism, and even to drugs for enlightenment. Our culture turned from God in the 1960's to eastern religious thought and practice. The rock and roll world introduced us anew to the so-called enlightenment of eastern religious sages, Hinduism, Buddhisim, and various other eastern ways. The culture grabbed onto reincarnation and the thought that they could discard their individualism and become part of the one - with no real self-consciousness at all. Others turned to philosophy that started at Deism, but eventually turned to Naturalism and its eventual end Nihlism and complete hopelessness. These movements have given to us all the same problems that the culture of Canaan gave to its inhabitants. There was not wisdom in all this - but multiplied foolishness that has ceded to us a disregard for life or any kind of moral code. Our current post-modern philosophy has reached its conclusion with the view that there is no right or wrong - no truth - no absolutes (except the absolute that there are no absolutes - which by the way is an absolute) - and no basis for societal cohesion except the rare times when we agree on something.

Seeking some other answer to life than that of "absolutist" Christianity - the world has gone hunting for anything other than truth. The result of their search mission is more like a search and destroy mission for anything and anyone who would dare to say there is absolute truth. But what has the wisdom of this current dominant culture given us? Since their deconstruction of Christian morals and absolutes has ensued, we've watched 2 world wars and a host of other smaller ones - numerous ethnic cleansings - political theories that allow dictators and rulers to decimate their people (as in Russia, China, Cambodia, and most of tribal Africa). The wisdom of the ages is nothing more than the same old lie that thrust our world into darkness in the first place. Either there is no God - or we ourselves can be god. That does not end well. Maybe the answer is not found in looking to the "ends of the earth" in search for some secret wisdom of the gurus. Maybe the truth all along has been right under our noses in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. It is my hope that by turning again to God and to His Word we will recapture the wisdom that has been abandoned by recent generations - and that God will revive His people with understanding so that they will not be fools. That, though, would require mankind humbling themselves and turning to God with ALL their heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is my hope that our current "great minds" would humble themselves and understand that unless we surrender ourselves to God . . . there will be very little wisdom available to us. 

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25

Ever since the fall of man we've been making the wrong decisions as a race - and - as individuals. The whole world was turned upside down at this event - and man has had his thinking on right and wrong completely ruined. That is what today's proverb deals with - and it is one that we should take very seriously - especially when it comes to spiritual matters - and more than anything, when it comes to salvation.

There is a way that seems right to a man. We truly blew it when we decided to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Ever wonder why this was such a huge blunder. I mean, isn't it a good thing to know the difference between what is good and what is evil? But this is not what entered into the heart of Eve, then Adam when they partook of the fruit of this infamous tree.

They ate of something forbidden by God. In fact, there was only one rule in the garden - just ONE! They were not to eat of the fruit of this one tree. But they chose to eat - and by eating brought the entire creation into futility by their choice to sin against God. We will NEVER be drawn closer to God through disobedience. That is something you can take to the bank every day you live. They were not eating of a tree that would help them know the difference between good and evil. This was not a discernment tree which would help them choose good things the rest of their life. They were wanting to partake of good and evil - they wanted the knowledge of both. The way that seems right to a man is a way that experiences good and evil - and therefore man can choose which he wants. The problem is that once he chooses to DO evil - to ACT evil - to WANT evil - he will be enslaved to it.

There is a way that seems right to a man - which includes knowing evil intimately so he thinks he will be able to choose what is best. But the reality is that the end of this way is the way of death. Jesus said that whoever sins is the slave of sin. We cannot "dabble" in this stuff enough to see the wrong of it - then consistently choose against that wrong. The wrong enslaves - and warps - and lies - and deceives - and in the end, kills.

As we look at this proverb, there is another danger in the "way that seems right to a man." This again proceeds from eating and participating in the knowledge of good and evil. Once the pair had eaten of this fruit - they knew both good and evil. That knowledge made them think that they could reject the evil, choose the good, and become acceptable to God. What was birthed at the foot of this tree was man-made religion. What came to life within the wicked breast of man in that hour was the idea that man can make himself acceptable to God by his works. Do more good than evil - and God will have to accept you. There was a false idea of God that was perpetrated by the devil there - and it was the height of wickedness. Satan said to Eve, that she would not die when she sinned - but that in having the knowledge of good and evil - she would be like God Himself! She herself would then be able to determine what is good as well as what is evil! Birthed in that infamous moment was the lying games of human philosophy as well. The thought that by the working of our own minds we could determine good and evil - as our own little gods!

Since man thought that he could determine what is right and good - there was no need for God. There was no need for the Almighty to grant revelation. We were good enough in ourselves to determine for ourselves what was right and what is wrong. Since that time the heart of man has been a veritable idol-factory. We are experts at fashioning gods of all kinds. Man is hopelessly religious - finding some god that he can worship. Problem is that according to Romans 1 - he finds worship in all the wrong places - looking for god in too many faces. Actually he even looks for God in animals - four-footed creatures - bugs - and in various self-styled versions of himself. Man eventually will have a god of his own making - who will look like, act like, and condone a lifestyle just like the one he is currently living. Anyone who has looked at the pitiful gods of the Greeks and Romans has realized that they were more lecherous and despicable than the men they supposedly ruled over on the earth. We think there is a way that seems right - but it only confirms our previously embraced wickedness and desire for sin.

Hope for mankind lies not in the fashioning of another parthenon of gods, but in communication and mercy from the One True God. There is a way that seems right to man - to each of us - but it is infinitely flawed by sin and selfishness granted to us by our descendants. We are the products of Adam and Eve - and we are after their likeness - and after their sinfulness. Hope comes when we see that God sovereignly reaches down to us and reveals Himself through His Word. There IS a way that is RIGHT - but that way belongs to God and to His revelation of Himself to us through the Scriptures. There is a way that does not lead to death - it leads to life. But that way is through God's provision of life through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. What we need is not our own ideas. We need the life of God - the righteousness of God - and the kindness of God which leads us to repentance. God has made a way - but it is His way. He has made a way - but He did not consult with us as to what it was going to be. When man was embroiled in his sin - in fact before man ever existed or had sinned - God provided a lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. Salvation was - and ever is His idea - His provision - and His act of mercy and grace to us. Oh, that we will remember that - and daily worship Him for His wonderful grace in Jesus Christ.

A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous.   Proverbs 14:25

Here is a proverb that at first glance deals with being truthful or a liar.  But as we look at what God is truly saying in this proverb, we see that this goes farther into what we are sharing with others - and whether we are sharing a saving message or a treacherous one that will cost people everything when that day comes upon all the living and the dead.

I am going to comment on this proverb from the last phrase first.  The one who utters lies is treacherous.  There are those who share things that are not truth on a mere earthly level.  This is called lying - and the Bible says that we are not to bear false witness to our neighbor.  This simply means we are not to lie to others.  So on a mere earthly level it is sinful to speak lies to others.  It hurts relationships and betrays trust, which is so important to the very bedrock upon which they are built.  But there is a greater sin - and that is being one who speaks lies about things that are beyond the earthly.  They lie about heaven - about eternity - about God.

There are those who do this very blatently.  Atheists like Richard Dawkins and his fellow mockers write quite voluminously about their opposition to God, His Word, and His salvation.  They offer no honest alternative except a life lived for self as God.  Thus they bring a very "treacherous" message.  They mocking turns people from the things of God - as their flesh desires - and they put God and His gospel out of their minds.  They see this as freeing because they no longer think themselves under His law - no longer bridled by His moral restraints.  But truly their message is treacherous - because they still must stand at the judgment seat of the One whom they deny.  Like the fool who stands in the street denying the existance of the bus barreling down the road toward them - they will find that denying God's existance does nothing to stop the inevitability of His sure and exactlng judgment.  On that day how they will be ashamed at their false and damning beliefs - but that day will be too late.  The treachery complete - they will join Dawkins and all his mates in hell where they will be tormented for their foolishness and unbelief. 

This is not how it has to be though.  God speaks a blessing on those who are truthful witnesses.  We are told that a truthful witness saves lives.  Here is where we see this proverb transcend the physical.  True, speaking the truth to someone can save their life physically - as the one who confronts the drug user or alcoholic that there is a horrible demise awaiting them at the end of the road of their lifestyle.  But what we are dealing with is a salvation dealing with more than just our physical lives.  The truthful witness shares the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ with those who need to hear it.  They speak the truth regardless of whether it makes them popular or not.  They consider popularity with God infinitely superior to the familiarity of those on earth whose opinion of each other changes as often as the wind changes directions.  They know that there is a God and that we must stand before Him on that fateful, yet glorious day.  They know that there is nothing that will stand on that day but perfection - the absolute righteousness that God demands when He says, "Therefore be perfect, as God is perfect."  (Matthew 5:48)  There is no way we can achieve this standing for our righteousness is as filthy rags before the perfect God of this universe.  Thus we must turn to His provision - which is the only way and the only hope for us for eternity.  He made Him who knew no sin, to become sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)  This is the answer - and it is the only answer acceptable in that day. 

The world may hate this, but it is true nevertheless.  We have a choice therefore as His children and His ambassadors.  Are we going to be treacherous to our friends, neighbors, and associates - or truthful?  Do not take this choice lightly - for the difference between obedience and rebellion on this point will often be the difference between others seeing you as a true friend or a treacherous one.  It is the difference beteween life and death.  Speak the truth saints - whether it is popular or not - whether it is socially acceptable or the word by which you are made a social outcast.  There is nothing more important than being a truthful witness who saves lives!

Will they not go astray who devise evil? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good. Proverbs 14:22

Today's proverb has to do with the payoff for both evil and good. There is a pay day for living in a way that is morally wrong. God uses quite an interesting picture of the one who is planning and devising evil. The word used here is "haras" which means to plow or to till the soil. The kind of plowing that is being done is plowing and planting evil. The evil is both moral and ethical in its reach. The fool spends his time plowing this way - and planting a very morally perverse crop into the ground of his life. The proverb tells us that the ones who live this way - will err. They will wander about and go astray. They will be intoxicated with their sin and as a result wander off not really realizing the danger of their actions. In the end they go the wrong way and wander into a moral wasteland.

Unfortunately I've watched this kind of moral wandering many times. They begin to plow the fields of their life with questionable morals and ethics. As they do this they speak of their freedom to do what they want - and usually disparage the Word of God for its straight-laced moral views. But in the end they wind up wanding off into things they did not intend to do. They only realize this when they've gone much father than they expected - or when something devastating happens to them because of their moral blindness. It is a sad thing to watch - because as those counselled by Scripture, we see where they are going. That is why this is voiced to us in a rhetorical way. The rhetorical question is that they are going to wander and err who plan and plow evil in their lifestyle.

To counter this erring way, we are also given a strong statement about what awaits those who plow what is good in their lives. This good (Hebrew word "tobah") is something that is well-pleasing, fruitful, proper, and morally correct. Of course all these things are referring to how God's Word affirms the moral direction that they are taking. What is promised to those plowing in this way is mercy and truth. Let's take a closer look at these two words.

Kindness is the Hebrew word "chesed." That word means to receive mercy and lovingkindness. The word is used of God's love constantly in the Old Testament. It is the closest kin to the Greek word agape in the New Testatment. It refers to God's covenant love with His people. When we choose to plow in a way that is morally in agreement with God's Word, God loves us - and will shower us with His grace, mercy, faithfulness, and goodness. That is what awaits right moral choices. The second word is "truth" which is the Hebrew word "emet." It refers to faithfulness - and is often combined with ideas like God's righteousness and peace. When we plow our lives with godliness and moral rectitiude, there will be a harvest of peace and righteousness that will come to us. Rather than the wandering destructive ways that come to those who plow evil, there is a blessing that showers on those who seek a crop of good things. That blessing is a righteous life - a peaceful existance where we know where we are going. There will be the smile of God and the light of His presence upon this person's path. He sows to godliness and reaps an abundance of joy, light, and life as a result.

When I consider this proverb I cannot but come away from it without remembering the promise of God that we will reap what we sow. To the one who is plowing and sowing evil this comes as a warning that his ways are not good. He will eventually be led to wander and even be destroyed by his ungodly moral choices. To the one plowing and sowing good there is the confident expectation that a good crop will grow - yielding 30, 60, and 100 fold fruit to the glory of God - and to his own blessing and welfare. So the question to ask is simply this, "How are you plowing the fields of your life and future?" 

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.  Proverbs 12:22

God does not like lips that lie.  That might be because the ultimate adversary He has is called a liar and the father of lies.  It also might be because God speaks truth without any mixture of error any time He speaks.  God is absolutely opposed to lying, liars, and any form of deception.  He says in this proverb that he sees lying as an abominable act.  The devil believed and held to, and eventually stated a lie when he fell from heaven.  Since that time the adversary of God and our souls has attempted to build his own kingdom, one based upon lies and deceit.  These lies oppose God and all that He is.  That is why God finds ALL lying abominable.  Every lie is a damning thing, for it was the lie that brought our condemnation, and it is a lie that condemns anew every moment of every day.  Embrace a lie and you are embracing the devil and his program to bring you into the judgment of God.

God delights in the faithful.  It is because of God's faithfulness that we are saved.  It is because of how God held to the truth, even when it meant having to condemn His own Son for becoming the sin-bearer for mankind.  Being a faithful one means holding fast to God's truth, which is THE truth.  God delights in those who deal faithfully, because they are embracing His own character.  Think about it for a moment.  The devil lies to us wanting to get us to believe his lies so that we turn from God and His Word.  We trust the devil because he promises us happiness and pleasure.  The problem is that in the end his promises don't include the "fine print" of the judgment that awaits - along with the heartbreak and death that always come with sin.  Godly, wise men deal faithfully because they know God's truth and they carry within them God's character in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore they live for the truth as well as live it out daily. 

Wisdom is living out the truth.  It is being faithful to God.  It is speaking faithful promises.  And ultimately it is sharing the ultimate faithfulness of God shown to us in the gospel.  This is the life in which God delights.  Wisdom is loving that life, living that life, and being an example of His faithfulness.

Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment.   Proverbs 12:19

Here is a proverb that seeks to teach us that it is not only better to speak truth than lies, but it is also far more permanent as well.  Truth will stand forever.  When we speak the truth we are speaking something that is not just true for that moment.  Truth is truth no matter what the time frame or generation.  

Here is something we desperately need to grasp in our current arrogance.  Philosophers of the day hold that there is such a thing as truth for a generation - or for a person.  That is nothing more than falsehood.  Truth stands as truth no matter the time in which it is spoken.  To have truth that is only truth for a time - or a generation - or a nationality - or an individual person is to state that in the end, there is no truth at all.  If truth is changing due to the circumstances of the ages or the whims of the populace - it is not truth but rather is the preference of the moment, season, or century.  

Truth by its very epistemological nature is always truth.  Men do not know this because they reject God - Who alone can speak from Himself eternal truth, which we know in our world as absolute truth.  He can speak such things because He is eternal.  He is all places at all times, and knows all things everywhere at once.  Can we truth any other one to speak with such knowledge and experience?  There is none.

Truthful lips will be established forever.  Although there is not truth that is applicable to only a single generation, people, or individual, there is the ability to speak truth in the midst of a generation - to a specific people - or even to an individual.  When we do this - God will establish our "truthful lips" forever.  Many have spoken and written expounding upon God's truth - and have blessed their generation.  For those who have been preserved in print - they can bless multiple generations.  God will establish their words for they submit to His.  Remember this if you want to speak in a way that will be blessed forever.  Speak according to His Word and He will establish yours.

There is another speaker - one who speaks lies.  That lying tongue will only be for the moment.  I think of all the books written, all the articles penned and typed, all the scripts that were authored, and all the plays, movies, and television shows that were ever produced.  The ones that reject God and a biblical worldview are legion.  In the moment in which they are written, men fawn over their authors - and have even developed sychophantic award shows during which they pat one another on the backs for their achievements.  Too often we bow at the feet of those with an Pulitzer, an Oscar, a Tony, or some other form of self-congratulating award as if they deserve to be heard and heralded.  Yet if their words do not agree with those of God - they will pass as so much more dust to dust.  Their lying words that do not give glory to God will not be remembered past the annals of this earth.  They will fade into oblivion as their authors, who decided that they did not need a Savior or the absolute truth of the gospel, spend eternity in endless flame and horror.  

In every generation the wind of heaven blows and the grass fades.  Every century has watched the flower fall to the ground and the glory of man buried under another civilization.  Yet in the midst of all the years there is one thing that has never changed and will never change in a thousand more generations.  The Word of our God stands forever.  We are to speak according to a Word that will not pass away.  We should state those things that will last forever.  May God deliver us from lying lips - and instead grant to us faithful and truthful lips that delight in speaking His Word.  Such lips as these will last forever - not because of their own worth - but because of the infinite worth of the Word that they speak.

He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.  Proverbs 12:17

Today's proverb has a picture to paint for us about being a person who speaks truth and what is right, or a person who is deceitful and untrustworthy in what they say.  The picture that is painted for us is framed by the Hebrew word used for "speaking" that is mentioned first in this verse.  The word used here is the Hebrew word "puah" which means to breathe.  It refers to how we breathe out.  This is a word used in a poetic way in the Old Testament.  In the Song of Solomon it speaks of the day breathing.  This refers to how the shadows of morning flee at the appearance of the sun.  Here in Proverbs 12:17 it refers to the way that we speak - but not just in a specific situation.  It refers to our lifestyle - or - what kind of things come out of our mouths in every situation in life.  Of course what we see in the rest of the proverb is that we either speak truth or deceit. 

There are those who speak truth and what is right.  "Truth" is the word "emunah" which refers to something true and faithful.  The primary thing being communicated with this word is faithfulness.  Through the rest of the Bible the word speaks of character - God's in Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4, 100:5, and 119:90 - and that of people in 2 Chronicles 19:9, Proverbs 12:22, and 28:20.  When someone is speaking truth - they are being faithful in what they say.  The whole proverb says that they are speaking faithfully - and what they speak is finally defined as "what is right."  What does all this mean in the end?  The faithful man or woman declares what is right.  The word for right is "tsedeq" which is the word that speaks of righteousness - or right by God's standard.  It is an ethical word that referred to God's justice and righteousness as represented by the Law of Moses - and by the reaffirmation of God's Word by the prophets.  Here, though, is how this works out for you and me in the 21st century. 

Situational ethics unfortunately rules the day in our world.  Everything is negotiable.  There is no absolute truth - except what you yourself are comfortable in holding - and even that only applies to yourself (except when you are uncomfortable with your own standards - and then you can change those too).  What is left is a society founded upon shifting sands.  But as the people of God - the people saved by His grace - we will stand out like brightly painted, fully lit up sore thumbs!  We are those who regardless of public opinion - hold faithfully to God's Word as our source of truth and what is right.  We not only believe this in our thinking - we also faithfully speak it out of our mouths.  In the midst of a world where the winds of change and compromise drive the public conscience wherever they blow - we are a biblical breath of fresh air when we speak.  To some we will be a breath of death - but to those who are being saved - it will be a breath of life to life. 

At this point I am going to say some things that will most likely offend people - yet they need to be said.  Too often a statement is made like the one above - and yet people will interpret it according to their "situational ethic" mindset.  Thus what is right once again is mired in personal opinion.  A faithful truth-teller will speak up when it comes to biblical ethics and righteousness.  That means that they will speak up about biblical sexuality.  Biblical sexuality is abstinence before heterosexual marriage - followed by faithfulness to one spouse in that heterosexual marriage until death parts them.  Thus a faithful truth-teller will oppose heterosexual immorality and homosexuality, as well as their off-shoots living together outside of marriage and homosexual marriage.  A faithful truth-teller will state that abortion is wrong - in all cases.  A faithful truth-teller will openly stand for racial harmony - and will view racism as evil and sinful.  A faithful truth-teller will state that we are to oppose greed and selfishness by giving to the poor - but will also say that providing for able bodied people who can work is wrong.  Everywhere God's Word makes an statement of ethical morals - the faithful truth-teller will stand - and will speak it.  And . . . just in case a person decides to speak the truth - but not speak it in love - the faithful truth-teller will remind them that the spirit in which you say something (i.e. not like a jerk - and with grace and mercy - yet saying what is true even if the truth itself is offensive) is as important as the truth itself. 

There is a second kind of wind that blows from the words that people speak.  It is the false witness who speaks deceit.  The false witness is the one who speaks lies and vanity.  The word is used of those who were false witnesses in a trial - who lied on the stand.  It refers to a person who says vain things and lives their life in vain.  There is little or no other purpose to their existance than to live for themselves and love themselves.  Their deciet is an intentional misleading of others by either distorting or withholding the truth from them.  Their deceit is evidenced by the fact that there IS absolute truth - but they will not state it or hold to it.  As offensive as some will take this - the false witness is the one who does not speak according to the ethical and moral standards held by God's Law and the entirety of Scripture.  There IS a right and wrong!  God gives it to us by His divine authority - and has revealed it to us in the Scriptures.  Not holding to this - or trying to twist it in any way - is being a false witness. 

When it comes to your words - what kind of breath flows from you throughout your day?  Are you one who breathes forth deceit.  Please understand that in our culture this person is the norm.  They breathe forth the lies of our immoral and biblically unethical society.  We hear them every day on the news - in our entertainment - everywhere.  You and I are to be a breath of fresh air.  They may not see it as fresh because they have been breathing in the sulfuric lies of the pit for a lifetime.  But to speak lovingly and biblically is to speak fresh, life-giving air to those all around you.  Speak the truth.  Speak faithfully.  Speak life-giving, fresh air to all with whom you come into contact!  Be a faithful truth-teller!

To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you? Proverbs 22:21

Why does a wise man teach his student or his son wisdom?  Why does he call him to listen and apply himself to gaining a knowledge of how to live?  Why does he call his pupil to trust in he Lord and to learn how to put that trust to use in very practical ways?  Why does he write to him of the wonderful Words of God - words that are filled with glorious counsel and knowledge that will last a lifetime?  We've been looking at verses 17-21 for the past several days - and learning from this call to God's wisdom.  Today we come to the final verse of this call and in it we find the reason this teacher/father has called his student/son to pursue and seek after God's wisdom.

"To make you know the certainty of the words of truth."  It really does not get much more plain that this does it?  The teacher is pointing the student to God's Word and wisdom because he wants him to know the truth.  Even more than this - he wants him to know that the truth is true.  I know that this sounds a little strange to us - but the literal translation of this phrase is this, "to make you know the truth of the words of truth."  The idea here is that first of all there is an ultimate truth.  There is an absolute truth upon which we can base our lives and our moral choices.  The world today does not believe this.  They believe that all truth is relative - and that we make our own truth.  This is the same lie Satan used in the garden, and the same lie that Romans chapter one says God reveals His wrath against.  In a nutshell it is the belief that we are gods - and therefore we make our own truth relative to what we (the god of ourselves - and our ultimate deception of self-worship) want for ourselves. 

The book of Proverbs (and indeed the entire Bible) militates agaisnt that view with the strongest prejudice possible.  God is ths author of truth - and He has revealed Himself through the Word of God, the Bible.  We know truth - if we know the Bible.  Remember that the teacher here is urging the student to know wisdom - the knowledge and understanding that comes from seeing the world as God sees it.  When we read His Word we KNOW the truth.  But when we learn to think according to His wisdom - to reason, to consider and discern things by His Word - then we will know not just the truth itself, but also the certainty of it - the truth that the truth is the truth. 

Please stay with me until I finish this argument.  We not only need to know Scripture - but we also need to know how to reason by it and defend it.  Do not misunderstand what I am saying - God's Word IS the truth.  But as we walk through this world filled with its deceptions and lies - we are going to need to be certain of the truth.  We WILL face opposition to our beliefs from the world that is around us.  I live in the college town and know from dealing with students who have had professors attempt to destroy their faith that there is a need to be able to defend the truth in your mind - and at times - openly to others.  This will not come by reading a little devotional each day - and having a few moments of prayer at meals.  This comes by speanding time thinking, considering, and learning to reason and discern as God's Word directs.  It means knowing God - spending time with Him in intimate fellowship so that you can know the conterfeits and lies that will seek to draw you away from Him.  The teacher/father knows this - and that is why he is calling his student/son to know wisdom.  For when he knows wisdom and has a functioning worldview that operates according to God's wisdom - he will know the certainty of the Word of God.

The second reason he makes this call is given in the last half of this verse.  "That you may correctly answer him who sent you?"  The Hebrew here can honestly go one of two ways - as this is a little difficult to translate.  Yet either way is very helpful to us.  One way to translate this is that we are correctly answering the one who has sent us out.  What this is promoting is accountability.  We are sent out by God - or by an authority who is under Him - and in the end we will have to give an answer.  The word "correctly" here gives the idea of returning truth to someone.  Thus, as we are sent out to live a godly life, we are going to be accountable for the truth that has been given to us.  Godly wisdom is crucial to this responsibility.  We can return the truth we have been given - which basically would mean that we give an account of how we have lived by God's truth in life - and in making moral and spiritual choices.  Knowing wisdom will mean being faithful to God - and therefore doing well as we are accountable to Him or to those He has placed over us to lead and guide us.

The other way this second phrase could be understood is in the context of living in the world - and giving an account for our faith.  Peter speaks of this in 1 Peter 3:14-16  when he says, ". . . and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."  We need to be ready to answer those who "send for us," or who basically call for us to answer their questions about our faith, about our Lord, and about why we live the way we do.  This is somewhat of a call to know apologetics - or being able to share the reason you believe.  Wisdom will give this to you.  You may answer with truth the questions that are posed about your relationship with God. 

We are called to know wisdom - to know God's wisdom.  This is a call to be able to think, consider, discern, and reason according to what God says in His revelation of Himself - in the Word of God.  As we heed this call God will instruct us and help us gain wisdom.  And as we learn to apply this wisdom in a way that will help us build a godly, Christ-centered, Bible-based worldview and way of living - we will find that we become very confident of our faith - of the truth itself.  One of the things our world desperately needs is beleivers who know what they believe, why they believe it, and Whom their belief helps them to know.  May we be among those who not just hear the call to God's wisdom - but who realize we need it - heed it - and are blessed because of it.

Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Proverbs 23:31-32

As we continue our look at the dangers of alcohol abuse we are warned that wine will look good when we see it.  There is a certain asthetic beauty to a beautiful glass with wine in it.  We see its color and note that it sparkles in the cup.  The alcohol industry does everything that it can to enhance the look of their product.  Beer is sold to us with people pouring it into a glass where we watch the foam grow along with the beer itself in the glass.  Everything is done to make sure that we are enamoured with the sight of this drink.  Consider as well that every commercial that seeks to sell these things is filled with skinny people who all look amazingly good - and voila - they are all drinking what we are supposed to be buying as well.  The secret message to us is that we can look that good too if we drink their beer, wine, or whiskey.  But, the proverb warns us that there is a different experience awaiting us when we actually drink this stuff in abundance. 

We are told the truth here - that alcohol bites like a serpent and stings like a viper.  What we are being alerted to is the effect of the alcohol on our system as we become more and more inebriated with it.  We will find ourselves experiencing a type of poisoning of our system.  Just like a snake and a viper bite will affect our vision and our ability to speak and walk - so also does the imbibing of alcohol.  We will find ourselves strangely affected as this stuff hits our bloodstream and begins inhibiting our brain and physical functions.  I find it somewhat disingenuous that we hear over and over again that alcohol can actually enhance our health.  But what we are NOT told is how alcohol can poison our system and destroy our bodies.  The amount of alcoholic drink we can have to make us healthier (and this is not in every case) is rather small - a small glass of wine often being used as the example.  The problem is that in our party society we are not drinking for our health - we are drinking to party - to lower our inhibitions and help us do things we normally would not do.  But the problems come not just to our mental state - but there are damages that happen to our brain, our kidneys, and our liver when we poison ourselves with too much alcohol. 

As I've said earlier, I was a weekend drunk before I was saved.  That also means that I have had the unfortunate situation of not only being drunk - but also of having a hangover and of being very sick when I poisoned myself wth alcoholic drinks.  To describe what happens when you do this is difficult because it is hard for some to grasp what it might feel like to have multimple sledge hammers converging on the sides of your head while having a stomach ache and a feeling like you are going to throw up.  It is difficult to describe how someone's whisper can sound like someone shouting in your ears.  Yet these things are signs that you are poisoning yourself with the venom of alcohol abuse.  Oh, before I leave this aspect of our current proverb I would like to regale you with what it looks like when someone abuses alcohol for a lifetime.  They die of something called scirosis of the liver.

I was able to lead a man to Christ who had been a drunk his entire life.  He was in his late 40's but looked like he was around 70.  He came to Christ just as he was learning of his condition.  His alcohol abuse had effectively destroyed his liver, which was in the process of shutting down.  He told me to use his situation to warn others to stay away from alcohol and drunkenness.  His body began to turn yellow as it also swelled to about twice its normal size.  As his liver shut down he was blinded by the impurities that were in his blood.  They also began to kill all the other organs in his body.  It was not a pretty death that he died.  That was the lifetime effect of someone who literally drank themselves to death.

The Word of God is trying to warn us of the dangers of alcohol.  If we are wise we will approach alcoholic drinks in a similar way that we would approach drinking Draino or some other kind of known poison.  Just because alcohol will poison us slower than these things is no reason to treat it any less cautiously.  We live in a culture that glories in its alcohol abuse - and does not let us know the backside of this lifestyle.  I've always wanted to cut one commercial for a Super Bowl that would present alcohol truthfully.  It would involve people who are not pretty - drinking alone or even at a party.  We would watch as they drink themselves into a foolish stupor - but the commecial would continue to follow them as they began throwing up uncontrollably.  Then the commercial would end with them waking up the next morning as the sound track would distort with the sound of people talking to them - yet sounding like a bullhorn being used to deafen them.  The tag line on the commercial would be something like this, "People who tell you to drink promise a good time."  At this point the commercial would review the people throwing up uncontrollably and say, "Does this look like a good time?"  A quick shot of someone dying of liver disease in all its horror would come next with the final statement, "Yeah, good times."  That would at least begin to balance the scales just a little with wisdom when it comes to drinking alcoholic drinks and the truth.  Will it ever happen?  What do you think?