Reading The Proverbs With Timothy And Kathy KellerSample

 Not Just Moral

The main word for wisdom in Proverbs (Hebrew hokma) includes being moral but goes beyond that. It is making the right choice even when there are no clear moral laws telling you explicitly what to do. Some decisions require only knowledge (like the proper medicine to take) and some only compliance with rules (like whether to commit adultery or not). But no Bible verse will tell you exactly whom to marry, which job to take, whether to move or stay put. Yet a wrong decision can be disastrous. And there are no explicit moral laws against character flaws such as abrasiveness, impulsiveness, emotional fragility, and disorganization, yet they can also damage the course of your life.

If God had given us a hundred-volume set of rules for every situation, we would have relied on the book and our diligence. But when we see what wisdom truly is, we will be driven to look to Jesus, of whom it was said, “What’s this wisdom that has been given him?” (Mark 6:2).

Have you ever seen an example of a good and moral person who was very unwise?

Prayer: Lord, I tend to be smug about my right beliefs. I love to think I know the truth, but even when I do, I don’t know how to use it. Please bring into my life what is necessary for wisdom to grow, and then remind me that I received it from you. Amen.

Excerpt from God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs by Timothy Keller and Kathy Keller

Reprinted by arrangement with Viking Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2017 by Timothy and Kathy Keller