The benefits of a wise life are too many to include in a single book; However, let’s look at some of them.
The woman who lives wisely will first experience safety; the wise woman is convinced that she is safe:
Then you’ll be safe on your way
and your foot won’t stumble.
When you go to bed, you will not be afraid;
you’ll lie down and your dream will be sweet
(Proverbs 3: 23-24)
The wise woman is not afraid, for she trusts in God; therefore, you don’t need to be anxious. She trusts in a wise and kind God who controls all things. As wisdom increases, anxiety decreases. What are you worried about, the finances, your children, your spouse?Or his absence? The wise woman understands that God is trustworthy and that she can and will do anything for our good and glory.
Another result of a wise life is guidance. Some time ago, I heard someone say that wisdom is not something God gives us, but something God does for us; this truth is reinforced by the following passage:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and don’t trust your own understanding.
Recognize it in all your ways,
and straighten your paths. (Proverbs 3. 5-6)
This does not mean that God’s direction is conditioned on his trust; He always actively guides the lives of human beings; However, it is only when we truly trust in God and submit to His ways that we experience His direction on a righteous path, not filled with frustrating deviations caused by ourselves, as happened with Jonah.
Another advantage of wisdom is the peaceful enjoyment of sanctified common sense. There is no doubt in life that the scriptures do not address in any way. There are dark situations that arise in our lives that the Bible does not quote directly. But the Word of God, God addresses them in a certain way, even indirectly, and wisdom is what allows us to use the Word to apply it directly to the dark areas of our lives. Wisdom allows us to better discern not only what the Word explicitly says, but also what it says. the Word says implicitly, and we are gradually equipped to apply these truths to all areas of life. Sanctified common sense is the result of wisdom. There is another result of a wise life: a reasonably good life.
My son, don’t forget my teachings
and your heart keep my commandments;
because your days will increase
and it will add years of life and peace
(Proverbs 3. 1-2)
The book of Proverbs reveals how God conceived the world to work; Therefore, in general, those who live according to God’s purposes prosper through this; In other words, proverbs are not the guarantee of a good life; we all live in times when things are not going well, no matter how much we try to follow God’s ways. And that is because God has much to teach us through suffering, as well as teaches us by blessing us with the practical benefits of wisdom; That is why it is better to consider the Proverbs as observations or principles, rather than to see them as promises.
Should we keep both together? The practical benefits of living wisely and the spiritual benefits of suffering?And trust that the Lord knows what He is doing in every situation.
That said, we are inclined to suspect this whole idea of enjoying a prosperous life. It sounds so trite! But God is pleased to bless his children, like all parents. When God blesses us with a time of prosperity, we can hurt God’s heart if we do not rejoice. After spending many years saving money to buy a house, a friend of mine was lucky enough to own her beautiful home. But he couldn’t enjoy it at all and said, “I’m waiting for the last drop. If God gave it to me, what are you going to take away from me?Such a thought robs both God and us of the pleasure of enjoying his gifts. If you bless us with material good, we are free to enjoy it. As Solomon wrote: “There is nothing better for a man than eating, drinking, and making his soul enjoy the good of his work. But did I also see that it came from God’s hand?(Ecclesiastes 2. 24).
Another advantage of wisdom is happiness
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
and the man who acquires knowledge;
because the profit it gives is better than money
and your income is better than the finest gold.
More precious than pearls
and all you can wish for is not comparable to it (Proverbs 3:13-15)
Can you think of a better definition of happiness? If we are unhappy believers, the problem is not in the circumstances; it is in our interpretation of circumstances, interpretation that lacks wisdom. Even unhappy occasions can be lived with joy and peace, when one remembers who sent them and rightly authorized them. The wise woman recognizes that deep and lasting happiness will never be found in circumstances, but only in Wisdom, which is Christ himself.
Another fruit of wisdom is self-awareness. John Calvin said that before we know ourselves, we must know God. Only God truly knows and understands our hearts, of course; But the more we know God, the more we will know each other. Self-awareness, and part of that is the awareness of our personal weakness?It is vital to resist temptations, because temptations reach us in regions where we are weak. The woman who knows God is better able to recognize that she is about to fall into sin and is therefore better prepared to treat him with intelligence. Knowledge of one’s own is the fruit of wisdom.
For the net extends to the sight of every bird (Proverbs 1,17)
Excerpt from Lydia Brownback’s book “Mulheres Sobias”, future version of Faithful Editor for May/ 2013