Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

           Text: Proverbs 9:8-12

Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus:

           Most of us, deep down inside, desire the good life. We constantly seek the key to successful living. We want happiness, wealth, and wisdom. And we strive for the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable us to make it in our world. Our society feeds our appetite for the good life. Our educational system seems primarily concerned with teaching skills that enable us to earn more money. Advertising constantly excites us with images of the successful person and all of the good things that success brings. Certain religious groups fuel the desire for abundant living by promising – “If you love God enough, He will reward you with prosperity.” Current wisdom says that the desire of our life – is for success and abundance. To be wise is to have the good life.

           And psychologists tell us that parent’s comments like – “Grow up” or “You’re dumb…stupid…a failure” – can have a traumatic effect on a child’s future. Years later, a person may say – “You always said I was stupid and would never amount to anything – and I didn’t. I started to believe what you were telling me – I am stupid – and I’ve decided to live with it.” Children have a way of living up to or living down to what is said or expected of them. As unintentional as some comments may be, they can lead people to some rather irresponsible and unfortunate conclusions. The words of the proverbs are, therefore, a cry for wisdom. Become wise! Know the truth!

           Solomon says – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The word “fear” describes the terror one feels in the presence of the true God, but it also means to “reverence” or to “hold in awe”. There can be no true knowledge apart from the Lord, who has revealed Himself to His people in love and grace – so that through them, He might make Himself known to the world.

           Our basic need is to know the Lord. He alone is our God and Savior, who calls, gathers, and enlightens us through His living Word. Solomon is saying that knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding and life. The word “wisdom” in Hebrew conveys the idea of “skill”. It is written – “The proverbs of Solomon…for attaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding words of insight.” The purpose of these proverbs is to develop and equip the whole person – body, mind, and soul – to live in today’s world. He wants us to know the truth – to become wise.

           We must begin our search for truth by dealing with out biggest problem. And that problem is sin. If we want to know the truth, then we should begin by knowing the truth about sin – and it’s a painful picture. Proverbs uses words like insults, hatred, and suffering to make this clear. Insults are common. Hatred – you know what that is! It’s what happens when we lose control, and that brings suffering. Jesus also wants us to know something about the world. He says – “Be as shrewd as snakes.” Some people are streetwise. In this case, Jesus wanted His disciples to use common sense in dealing with life. The Master was saying – “Become wise!”

           We all know that the struggles of life aren’t easy. Our conscience makes us cowards. We have a way of looking in the wrong direction. We can pick up on the strangest stories. We can reach out to more trouble than our legs can carry us away from. We’re human – and God wants us to know the truth about ourselves. Become wise! But God also wants us to know the truth of the Gospel in Jesus Christ. For our Lord came into this mixed-up world so that we could know and understand God. He wants each of us to know that He is with us always. We have an abiding Lord, who never gives up on us.

           Fortunately, God doesn’t play by our rules. He acts toward us out of love and knowledge we can never attain. He says – “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Furthermore, when disaster seems near, He promises that good can come from evil. St. Paul writes – “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Jesus said – “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends…I lay down my life for the sheep…My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

           Christ did it all! He gave us these words of assurance and backed them up with His death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection from the grave. Jesus came to seek and to save those who were lost. He alone is your Savior, and He wants you to know that you are His child. Think of the many people who live in bondage. They are imprisoned by emotions that they can’t control. Child abuse, premarital and extramarital sex, alcoholism, and drug addiction – are often related to a lack of emotional control. However, the great problems that we see on the surface of life are but symptoms of a deeper problem. The real problem is a matter of the heart. We read in Proverbs that as a person – “thinks within himself, so he is.”

           God wants us to know that we don’t have to live in bondage to human weakness. We’re free to live as His people. St. Paul writes – “It is for freedom Christ has set us free.” We’re freed from the desires of our sinful nature. God said through Solomon – “Whoever finds me finds life.”

           Life is a precious thing. It is God’s gift to each of us. It’s a special opportunity and the reason for which we’re here. There are so many ways that God blesses us. He gives us time. And He uses this time to bring us His eternal truth. While we’re busy in the midst of time, God reaches out to us with His love and grace. He permits us to live in the freedom of time – so that we’ll be free to use the talents God has given us.

           But our Lord also speaks about the cost of discipleship. He wanted the large crowd that was following Him to know that He doesn’t go by the standards of the world. Christ was looking for quality, not quantity, when He said – “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” God blessed us so that we’ll be free to live, free to share, and free to take up the cross and follow Him. There’s so much that we can do to the glory of God.  We’re free to invest in the physical and spiritual needs of others. Each day that God blesses us, He demonstrates His love for us. He does this so that we can be free to share His love with others.

           Oh, how we need to become wise! A wise person has a treasure that no one or nothing can ever take away. That treasure is Jesus Christ Himself. And He alone can make our time count for something. I pray that the treasure you have received will move you to open your hearts freely, lovingly, and joyously to one another – and that your commitment to Christ will lead you to respond to the needs of those who are looking for the loving touch of the Savior. The wise person fears the Lord and grows wiser still. We have been baptized into His death and resurrection – and have committed ourselves to following Him. Have we counted the cost? Have we feared the Lord – and in that way – become wiser still? Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.