his is a sermon preview for the fourth week of our “Walking in Wisdom: A Lenten Study of Proverbs” series.
Visit FBCM’s Church Center Channel to view video live stream or audio version of sermon (published week after).
“The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.” -excerpt from Proverbs 16:21-24
“A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.”
-excerpt from Proverbs 17:10-12
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
-excerpt from Proverbs 27:1
Have you ever received contradictory advice?
In elementary school, I remember local law enforcement hosting a big “safety day” event. There were lots of fun things for five year old me–carnival games with candy, cool cars, and our own personal police badges. But there was also a serious teaching moment where we learned about “stranger danger.” I remember the teachers drilling it into our heads: “I will not talk to strangers. I will not talk to strangers. I will not talk to strangers.” All seemed fine.
Except then I went home. My family went out into town that night, and something happened that always happened when we were in public. My dad somehow managed to have a conversation with everyone he saw. I would ask how he knew so many people, and my dad would laugh. “I don’t know them. I was just being friendly.”
“But, dad!” I yelled at him. “Don’t you know that you’re never, ever, EVER supposed to talk to strangers!?”
Obviously, that’s not what the kind police officers meant. I was too literal. My five-year-old mind had a hard time understanding the difference between when it was and was not okay to talk to someone I didn’t know.
Sometimes this is what it’s like to read Proverbs–it’s just a book of contradictory sayings!
In this week’s text, we first see (Proverbs 16) that those walking in wisdom are gifted with perceiving others. We see that the wise have persuasive speech to help them share their instructions with others who need it. Here, offering instruction is described like sweet honey, or a healing salve. The instruction is welcome and life-changing.
But only one chapter later (Proverbs 17), we are warned to avoid confronting fools. Here, fools seem to be incapable of learning from the wise or their mistakes. And more concerning, the fools are seen as violent against any wise person who even tries to instruct them. The wise are warned to avoid sharing their instructions like they avoid an angry bear on a hiking trail! After all, no one wants to get mauled by a fool!
So which is it, Solomon? Are the wise supposed to share what they know with others? Or are the wise supposed to keep their mouth duct taped shut to avoid oversharing? Why can’t you seem to make up your mind?
Solomon isn’t trying to give contradictory advice. But Proverbs reminds Christians of a reality we hate to admit: life is messy. There’s no one rule that works in every situation. Every situation is unique.
Sometimes God has given us wisdom and words to share with others. Sometimes God tells us to keep quiet.
Sometimes God tells us to do one thing. Other times God tells us to do the opposite.
To walk in wisdom is to recognize that God is outside of time. God knows what is ahead of us. God understands the repercussions of actions in each situation far beyond the effects that we can track on our own. We must strive to understand God's timing so that we may discern how to live holy and righteous in each unique moment.
It’s not contradictory advice. It’s the wisdom of God.
Reflection Questions
How does remembering God’s timing help you read and understand Proverbs?
What is something you’ve read in the Bible that seems to contradict another part of the Bible? How can seeking God’s wisdom and timing help you better understand and apply these passages to your life?
How do you seek God’s wisdom and timing to know what to do in a tough situation?
Comments