“-er!”

Proverbs begins by stating its assignment.  God through the proverbs makes his intentions crystal clear.  He wants to make you more than you are.  If you’re lost he wants to find you and bring you back.  If you are dumb he wants to make you smart.  If you are smart he wants to make you smarter.  If you are wise he wants to make you wise-er.

He is commited to “-er”.  God is so full of wisdom you can’t outgrow him.  You can’t move beyond his capacity to make you better.

All of us need to reach up to our full potential in God.  As the Army’s ad campaign said we need to “Be ALL we can be.”

Foundations

If the intent of this book is to build us, then we must begin with the foundation.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…”

Shapiro says it this way, “wisdom’s foundation is the selfless awe of God.”

 

Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building.

The building is impressive.  What you see above the ground is celebrated.  What’s beneath the ground is what it’s built on.  Without a sure foundation you can’t build something that tall.

CENTRAL TRUTH

If you want to go higher, you’ve got to dig deeper!

God wants to build you up
“For I know the plans I have for you plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

You need a strong foundation so you can stand the wind.

You need to be affixed to the bedrock.

You need depth.

You need reinforcement.

As you get bigger you bring glory to the God who made you.  People will want to know, “who built you up like that?”

“I want your architect to design my life.”

Wisdom’s foundation is the fear of the Lord.

If you don’t reverence and respect God you cannot hear him.

If you can’t hear him you won’t heed him.

If you don’t heed him, if you don’t act on the wisdom he gives you, you cannot benefit from that wisdom.

Do you really reverence God?

The Disciplines of Reverence

Prayer.

Studying the word.

Studying nature.

Fellowship.

Helping others.