Sunday, August 15, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 12:1-4, we learned more about the importance of seeking knowledge, righteousness, and virtue. Instruction comes from the Hebrew word that means discipline, chastening, or correction. Knowledge comes from the Hebrew word that means discernment, understanding, or wisdom. Solomon wrote that a love for instruction, or a love for being disciplined and chastened, would increase our knowledge and godly wisdom. Proverbs 2:10-11 says, "When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee." Knowledge comes from chastening and correction. Job 5:17 says, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty." Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Proverbs 4:13 says, "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." Those that hate being corrected are brutish. Those that refuse the Lord's correction do not desire to learn of Him or grow in Him. Brutish comes from the Hebrew word that means foolish or stupid. Proverbs 30:2-3 says, "Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy."
We should be happy to receive instruction because that leads to knowledge. Solomon also wrote that we should be eager to seek righteousness and good. Good comes from the Hebrew word that means pleasant or agreeable. Favor comes from the Hebrew word that means acceptance. The Lord accepts a pleasant, agreeable person. However, the wicked are rejected. The righteous shall be established and not movable, but it will not be so for the wicked. We should praise the Lord and give Him the honor and glory due His name because this kind of attitude will make us even more stable and unmovable. I Chronicles 16:29 says, "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." We should also lean upon Him to gain strength. Psalms 55:22 says, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Lastly, Solomon wrote that we should seek virtue. He said that a virtuous wife is a blessing to her husband. Similarly, Matthew Henry wrote, "A wife who is pious, prudent, and looks well to the ways of her household, who makes conscience of her duty, and can bear crosses; such a one is an honour and comfort to her husband. She that is the reverse of this, preys upon him, and consumes him." Proverbs 31:10-12 says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Seeking knowledge, righteousness, and virtue are good, godly pursuits. As we grow closer to Christ, we should desire to be more like Him. Therefore, as you go through the coming week, do your best to be the person that He wants you to be.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
Send email to: tlee6040@aol.com