The Wise Person

 

“Wise” (Heb. “chakan”) – the person who exercises correct judgment; endued with reason and using it; sensible; discerning.

In a secular sense, cleverness and shrewdness characterized this wisdom, while in a religious sense, the wise mastered the art of living in accordance with God’s expectations, which was a process of attainment – Vine’s An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, p. 473.

 

Prov. 1:5                What will be true of a wise person?

 

How good of a listener are you, especially to wise counsel (i.e., counsel that’s biblically based, or if it’s in an area the Bible doesn’t address, then it’s counsel based on facts and seasoned experienced), and will you seek to acquire it?              If so, how?

 

Prov. 6:6-8; 10:5                 What should a person observe to be wise, and why?

 

                Are you wise in making provision for the future both for here on earth and in heaven?                        Why, and how?

 

Prov. 8:33             What should a person heed and not neglect?

 

Do you heed instruction from people who are well qualified to give advice in the area of discussion they’re speaking on, or are you prideful and so prefer to learn on your own, and why?

 

Prov. 9:8, 9           What will happen when you reprove a wise person?

What happens when you give instruction to a wise person?

Do you love the people who reprove you (i.e., bring to your attention where and when you are wrong), and why?

 

Prov. 10:8             What will the wise of heart receive?

How well do you receive/obey the commands of God and/or those of the spiritual leaders over you, and why?

 

Prov. 10:19           Who is wise?

 

Do you restrain your lips/mouth from speaking either too much or when it’s not appropriate, and why?

How did you gain this ability, if you said “yes” to the above question?

 

Prov. 11:30           What does a wise person do?

Are you winning/attracting people to righteous living?               If so, how?

 

Prov. 12:15           What will a wise person do?

Are you attempting to be a wise person by listening to godly/biblical or good counsel, or are you stubborn and foolish by rejecting godly/biblical counsel, and why?

 

Prov. 12:18           What does the tongue of the wise bring?                                                       How do you think this takes place?

 

Is this true of your tongue/speech?                 If so, give an example of where you’ve done this.

 

Prov. 13:14           What is the teaching of the wise compared to?

 

Are you sitting under the teaching of a wise person (someone who knows the Bible well and is obeying it consistently), and why?

 

Prov. 13:20           Who will be wise?

Who are you spending the majority of your time with, and why?

If you’re not spending a lot of time closely associating or living with a wise person (i.e., biblically knowledgeable, obedient, and discerning), when will you start doing so, and why?

 

Prov. 14:16           What is true of a wise person?

 

Would you consider yourself wise based on this criterion?                        If so, share an example.

 

Prov. 15:2             What does the tongue of the wise do?

 

Are you making your knowledge acceptable by giving suitable and seasonable instruction, counsel, and reason with all possible expressions of humi­lity and love?                     If so, how?

 

Prov. 15:7             What do the lips of the wise do?

 

Are you involved in sharing/spreading helpful facts/information with others, or do you just quietly keep helpful information to yourself, and why?

 

Prov. 16:14           What will a wise person appease?

 

Are you good at cooling down the wrath of people?                    If so, how do you go about doing so?

 

Prov. 18:15           What does the ear of the wise seek?

 

                Are your ears seeking knowledge (i.e., helpful information) or meaningless trivia, juicy gossip, dirty jokes, and/or anti-biblical information?                          Why, and how?

 

Prov. 19:20           What should a person do that he/she may be wise the rest of his/her life?

 

                Do you accept discipline/correction from people when you are in the wrong, or do you get contentious, defensive, and/or make excuses for your wrong behavior, words, or attitudes, and why?

 

Prov. 20:1             Who is not wise?

Why do you think this is?

 

Prov. 20:26           What does a wise king do?

 

                Do you see how the Bible encourages government leaders to detect, separate from the rest of society, and punish the wicked?

                How do you feel about this, and why?

 

Prov. 21:11           Who becomes wise, and why?

 

                Do you learn from the sins and mistakes of others, or do you have to learn the hard way from your own sins, and why?

 

Prov. 21:22           What does a wise person do?

 

                Would you prefer to work harder or smarter in order to accomplish a goal, and why?

 

Prov. 22:17           What should we incline our ear to and hear?

 

                Where does a person go in order to find the words of the wise, and are you going there often, and why?

 

Prov. 23:19           What was Solomon’s son to do to be wise?

 

Do you listen to godly advice and/or factual information, or would you prefer to do all the talking and not listen just so you can hear yourself talk?

 

To what advice was he to listen (vss. 17, 20, 21)?

 

Are you listening to (following) these instructions, and why?

 

Prov. 25:12           What is an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold like?

 

Do you listen to and greatly value the reproof or correction you get from a wise person, or do you resent it and try to avoid the person, and why?

 

Prov. 29:8             What do wise people turn away?

 

Do you turn away anger from occurring in your life (not letting it happen)?                          If so, how?

 

Prov. 29:11           What does a wise person hold back?

How good are you at holding back your temper?

And how do you go about doing so?