It has been said there are two main motivations for all actions: achieving pleasure and avoiding pain. Avoiding pain far outweighs the motivation of achieving pleasure. Avoiding pain necessitates clear warnings, and Proverbs does not fall short of this task. The book introduces a personified Wisdom; her wise words warn readers who would listen and benefit: [Read more…]
The Pitfalls of Peer Pressure
“My son, if sinners entice you, DO NOT CONSENT.”
Peer pressure is as old as the human race. In every culture, in every time, in every place… people have wanted to influence, and be influenced by, one another. This is the “herd instinct” of humanity. It’s plainly evident in creatures of nature: cows walk like other cows, snakes glide like other snakes, bees fly like other bees. And humans act like other humans, and are wired in such a way that there is an almost irresistible desire to be like our own. [Read more…]
Words of Wisdom – A Parent’s Greatest Gift
Perhaps one of the greatest blessings of being a parent is to be able to influence the lives of our children with words of wisdom. To have the opportunity, the authority, to direct children in a way in which we know will benefit them is an immense blessing. Here in the Proverbs, the author refers to the leaving of a legacy through teaching and instruction of words of wisdom, and reminds us that while the parent is greatly blessed in guiding the child in wisdom, the child receives the greatest and most lasting blessing. [Read more…]
The Path to Inner Peace
Mankind is yearning for one, single and solitary condition: inner peace. This is not world peace or the lack of war. It is not financial freedom, or the elimination of poverty. It is not eradicating hunger, or healing disease. These things are mere symptoms of the issue. The issue is, and has always been, one’s inner sense of peace.
In this crazy world, we find countless ways offered to find peace and contentment. On every billboard, in every commercial, in every ad we are promised peace. Most assure this elusive state of mind by dressing it up in money or achievement or comfort. And against this malaise of promises there are countless others promising yet an even better way, a faster way, a more sure way.
And yet the search goes on.
The irony of it all can be seen by understanding the motivation of those promising the peace, for in offering peace to others, the offerors are seeking to gain their own peace, which also is based in money, achievement, comfort, etc. The cycle goes on and on and on.
And so, so few ever find this peace they seek all of their lives. Why is this?
The answer, like all answers, is found in the Word of God. The answer is so simple, and yet so difficult. And it is difficult not because it is not simple; it is difficult because it is found where no one naturally expects to find it: within themselves.
Proverbs 3: 21 says: “…keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
How simple could it possibly be? Keeping sound wisdom and discretion.
Peace is achievable, but it is found only in a right relationship to God. And in one’s relationship to God, there is acquired wisdom. This wisdom brings peace. This incredibly simple equation is the pure and unadulterated answer to man’s relentless struggle with unhappiness and lack of peace throughout all of life.
And this truth has been in print and published around the world for centuries.
There would be many who would contest this answer. They might assert that there are many paths to peace, and offer up a myriad of things one can do to achieve this state of mind, things such as meditation or affirmations. Or they might say one can do good works, offer himself or herself for service to others, or any other thing that has nothing to do with money or satisfaction. These might be good things in and of themselves, but if they are done as a means of achieving inner peace, they will fall short. Why?
The answer to this is the purpose of this writing: all problems, internal and external, originate in the breaking of humankind’s relationship to God Almighty. He set forth laws. Those laws are broken, everyday, by everyone who lives upon the earth. The resulting condition is internal, spiritual warfare.
There’s no peace in that.
So how to fix the problem? Fix the relationship. God is God; we are not. If He made laws and we broke those laws, we have to make the change to get into a right relationship with Him. Fortunately, He made that remedy possible when He sent His son Jesus to die for our sins. In accepting the offer of forgiveness through Christ, the relationship with God is restored and then, and only then, true inner peace is achieved. But until that is done, there will forever be an ongoing, relentless struggle to find peace and happiness in a word full of false solutions.
Once the relationship to God is made right, we find ourselves still in this world, wrought full of trouble and difficulties of every kind. The difference is here, we find wisdom is within reach, and true wisdom guides one’s life actions and brings that previously unattainable state of mind, quite attainable.
To see how the wisest man the world has ever known found peace, look at Wisdom of Solomon
The Three Pillars of Wisdom
The foremost book of wisdom through all of time, the book of Proverbs, begins the ascent to higher thinking and learning by stating the pillars of wisdom: righteousness, justice, and equity. It can be seen that the basis of this true wisdom is different than most renditions of wisdom in this world. And it can be seen this is because it is from God Himself, and not mere man conjuring up in his own mind what he thinks is true wisdom.
For any subject of study, there is competing thought. This is a natural and expected condition, and especially so for a subject of thought that influences one’s life habits, has implications for eternity, and changes the way in which one views all of life. Is there anything more impactful of human life than a belief system?
Wisdom is the pinnacle of learning, the highest point of achievement in thinking. It is driven by knowledge, and proven by action, and expressed in words. Because wisdom is the pinnacle, it stands to reason that it is exclusive, and following the law of non-contradiction, wisdom is one. It is not two, nor three. Wisdom, by its very nature, demands that there be nothing else that precludes it, nor precedes it, nor refutes it. There is only one wisdom, and it is from the premier source.
And who is that?
God Himself. Again, applying the law of non-contradiction, the concept of God is that of which there could be no greater. And thus, what comes forth from Him is that of which there could be nothing greater. Hence, there is one true wisdom.
First, all true wisdom is based in righteousness. Righteousness is based in the character of God, for it is blatantly clear that all humanity is flawed and equally clear that God is all that is right and flawless. The logical consequence of this truth is that if wisdom is righteousness, and God is righteousness, than true wisdom is all that is God Himself. It has no other source.