An Interesting Perspective

I’m going to take a break from the usual to think about the context in which the verses below were written.  Remember that Proverbs was written by King Solomon, who was the son of David.  Solomon was Bathsheba’s son.  And Bathsheba was the one with whom David committed adultery and then had her husband Uriah killed in battle.  Solomon was born to David and Bathsheba after the child conceived in the adulterous act was killed by God as a consequence of David’s sin.  Now read these words from Proverbs 4:

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;  2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law. 3 When I was my father’s son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,  4 He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.  5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.  6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.  8 Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.  9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

 What struck me this morning was what it must have been like for David to tell Solomon these words, with the memory of what David had done still very, very fresh in his mind.  David knew firsthand the danger of turning away from wisdom and turning to his own sinful desires.  I imagine David, sitting with his young son, Solomon, and telling him to “Get wisdom”  “Wisdom is the principal thing”.  “Solomon, you can have wealth and riches and power but it will all come crashing down without wisdom”.  Later, as Solomon is grown up and becomes king himself, he asks God for wisdom.  He doesn’t ask for power or wealth or military victory.  He asks for wisdom.

Isn’t it interesting to think that perhaps the conversation with his father David, referenced here in Proverbs 4, could have been the starting point for Solomon’s desire to have wisdom as king?  And isn’t it interesting to think about David’s perspective on the necessity of wisdom, shortly after his own fall into sin?  God can use our mistakes for His glory.  What a wise God we serve.

In wisdom,
Eric