Wisdom means obeying God’s word, not just agreeing with it
At chapel on Monday, November 9, P. John Vivian continued his series in Proverbs 3, reading verses 13–35. The passage begins, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.”
Agreeing is not the same as obeying
P. Vivian pointed to the clear commands in verses 27–31: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it…. Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.”
He said most of these commands seem obvious, and anyone reading them would agree. Yet we break them often, because our sinful nature makes us react from emotion or instinct. “Agreeing with them and obeying them are kind of different,” he said. “I agree with the speed limit. I follow it sometimes. It would be wise for me to follow it always.” He noted that we are good at making excuses: “I kind of deserve it.” “Nobody will know.” “It won’t hurt anybody.” Wisdom means stopping to ask, “What does God say I should do? What does God say I should seek above all else?”
A peace you cannot buy
The reward Solomon describes again and again is peace. Verse 17 says, “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” P. Vivian explained that this is peace with God, the kind that comes from obeying His word and holding Him above everything else. It cannot be bought, earned, or taken from someone else.
Verses 23–24 describe what that peace looks like: “Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid.” P. Vivian said that without God’s wisdom, our lives fill with anxiety and worry about whether we can trust others and whether we are doing the right thing. They also fill with guilt and shame over what we’ve done. Walking in wisdom replaces that worry with security and confidence in the Lord.
What are you inheriting?
Finally, P. Vivian read verses 33–35: “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.”
He encouraged students to look at what they are inheriting, not only in the long run but day to day. Are they receiving peace, assurance, and confidence in the Lord? Or are they living with anxiety, worry, and judgment because of careless words, selfish choices, and the way they treated others, all justified in the moment?
P. Vivian closed in prayer. He asked God to help students see that His ways are better and that the peace that surpasses all understanding comes from embracing His word. He prayed that they would let go of their own wisdom, avoid becoming complacent, and find new strength to seek God’s righteousness.
