From a Cluttered Desk

I am Tammy Cardwell, she of the cluttered desk. (Hey, you think I'm kidding?!) I'm having a blast here in Blogland and invite to you to peruse my ramblings. Like a buffet, they offer variety - essentially whatever makes it to the top of the piles that sometimes clutter my brain. We'll eventually cover it all - homeschooling, God, our church, the Eclectic Homeschool Online, books I'm writing and publishing, conferences I speak at, the joys of grandmotherhood, and hopefully chocolate. Of course, this is only what's near the top now. Who knows what's in those piles?

Proverbs 2:9
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.

       So by this point we will have a genuine understanding of righteousness (what it is to be naturally, morally, and legally right), judgment (justice), and equity (AMP-"fair dealing [in every situation]). We will understand every good path, every one of the roads God will have us travel in life.

Proverbs 2:10
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

   Wisdom first enters our heads. We hear it or read it, then think about it. If we handle it rightly, sooner or later it enters our hearts, where it truly becomes a part of us.
    When I think about knowledge being pleasant to my soul, I think back to my school years. The knowledge I gained by reading magazines and watching fascinating documentaries on TV was pleasant to my soul; the endless facts I memorized in school were not. Ultimately, what we should be gaining is knowledge of God and His Word. You can study God’s Word simply because you know it is the right thing to do, and that’s good. You can seek this knowledge because it is pleasant to your soul and that is something else entirely.
    This, of course, takes time. Getting to know the Word is like getting to know a person. Indeed, it is getting to know a person. (John 1:1, 14 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…) When we gain knowledge of the Word, we gain knowledge of Jesus Christ, and as holds true of our face-to-face relationships with beloved friends, that knowledge is pleasant to our souls.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Okay, so it’s really Thursday, but I just realized that I forgot to post this week’s Wednesday Words. Sorry. <grin>

Proverbs 2:7
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

    Again, wisdom, or  in this case "sound wisdom," is a treasure. It is a treasure God lays up, keeps in store, for the righteous. If we maintain right standing with God, we have access to that store of wisdom.
    I love this next part, because I need it so often in life. A buckler is a small shield, a form of protection, so when I walk uprightly He, Himself, is a shield for me, my Protector.

Proverbs 2:8
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

    A judgment is a verdict, sentence, or formal decree, so God guards the well-trodden roads of judgment. Keeping them safe for His kids?
    When he says the Lord preserves the way of His saint’s Solomon is saying God puts a protective hedge alongside life’s path-for those who serve him, of course. Hedges, like fences, are a great way to keep out that which might interfere with the traveler. It’s not even, necessarily, that was is being held back is evil, only that it might distract us or slow us as we walk down the road God has told us to follow.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 2:5
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

    So if we do what verses one through four tell us to do, we will first come to understand the fear of the Lord, and then we will find the knowledge of God.
    It is vital that we understand what it is to fear the Lrod, and that we do it. To walk around terrified of a God who is out to get you is a terrible thing, and not at all what God wants. On the other hand, having no fear of God at all, no reverence, no awe, is to make a grave error that will surely lead one to sin.
    When we do have wisdom; understanding; knowledge; and an awed, reverent fear of the Lord, then He shares His knowledge with us. Considering He is omniscient, this promise is limited only by our human brains’ ability to comprehend.

Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.

    When he speaks to us, He speaks wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It is up to us to listen. And, having listened, heard, and received what is said, we must then put it into practice in our lives. Do this, and we are on the road to gaining such wisdom as Solomon had.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C
You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 2:3
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;

    Okay… So Wisdom is actively seeking us, but we are to also be actively seeking Wisdom, and not only Wisdom, but also Knowledge and Understanding.
    I wonder if there is any significance in the order; understanding (v. 2) , knowledge, understanding (v.3). It would make sense, because you need at least a certain amount of understanding before you seek knowledge, and there is much knowledge that, having gained it, you need even more assistance to understand.

Proverbs 2:4
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;

    This is so huge, and I’e only recently begun to understand just how huge. Wisdom… I won’t say it’s everything, but it can certainly make all the difference. It really is more valuable than any of the great treasures man so ardently searches after. Sometimes it does seem hidden, but the more I study God’s Word, the more I dig into the Proverbs, the more I enjoy seeking it out and making it mine.
    Interestingly enough, the day I reached this verse I was also reading in II Chronicles 9. There, in telling about Solomon’s wealth and the splendor of his throne, it mentions that nothing was made of silver because silver was common at the time, considered to be of relatively little value. Now, I’m not saying that silver was cheap by any means, only that when compared to all of the costly gold and rare jewels Solomon possessed it was more attainable.
    I’m not expressing myself well, I’m afraid. My point is that in reading that passage I saw another side to Wisdom. Wisdom is greatly to be valued and something we should all seek after. But I am also intrigued by the idea of Wisdom being common in the sense that it is all around us if we will only have the eyes to see–hidden in plain sight, as it were. As you read the Proverbs, you realize that Solomon saw signs of wisdom all around him. He told us to "go to the ant," for example. (Proverbs 6:6) Even the smallest creature can teach us wisdom if we take time to watch for the lesson.
    I firmly believe that we should seek wisdom as a great treasure, something we’d be willing to get on our hands and knees and grub in the dirt for if that’s what it took. I also believe that we should be careful not to overlook it, because at times is may seem so common that we fail to recognize it for what it is.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 2:1
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

    This is Solomon speaking, of course, but God inspired all Scripture and the psalmist said, in Psalm 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." So yes, it behooves us to hide these words, as well as the rest of God’s Word, in our hearts. Whatever comes later in this chapter begins with us truly receiving God’s Word and hiding it in our hearts. I wish I could say I have all of God’s Word hidden in my heart. (Some might think it impossible, but I know of men who have.) I am making an active effort to study it so that what it teaches becomes a greater part of me. I also memorize what I can, so that I have it (Ephesians 6:17-the sword of the Spirit) ready for use at all times.

Proverbs 2:2
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;

    I like the imagery here! "Incline thine ear unto wisdom." I get this picture of one person trying to hear someone else who is speaking very softly. They lean forward, not wanting to miss a word. This is how we are to be when Wisdom speaks; we should lean in so as not to miss a single word.
    And yes, we must do more than just hear. We can’t stop at hearing, without giving what we’ve heard a passing thought. As Solomon said, We must apply ourselves; we must work towards true understanding of what we hear.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 1:32
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Interesting. A man may be slain in many different ways, by various hands, but according to this verse it is this particular man’s own turning away from wisdom and the fear of God that causes him to be slain.

When it says the prosperity of fools shall destroy them, the word "destroy" actually means "to wander away." (i.e., to lose oneself) We’ve all seen this happen, I’m sure, when someone who was trying to live for God started prospering and began to rely on that prosperity rather than the Creator of prosperity. Truly, that one loses himself because of his own prosperity.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Amen! I am all for dwelling safely, and having no fear of evil is awesome. Truly, if there were nothing more attached to following wisdom than the penalties already listed and these two rewards, I would consider wisdom’s path to be by far the best. As Solomon assures us, however, wisdom brings many rewards.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 1:28
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Here’s another verse that sounds a lot like the Holy Spirit talking. We do know, after all, that the Holy Spirit will not "always strive with man."

And why will Wisdom, after having worked so hard to capture this person’s attention, remain so distant now?

Proverbs 1:29-30
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

That would be it.

It’s interesting that the words "none" and "all" are used here. It indicates that the one who even heeds some of  Wisdom’s counsel, acts on some of Wisdom’s reproof, has hope. Of course, it looks like the foundational thing is that a man must love knowledge and choose to (Right! It is a choice!) fear the Lord, or he won’t be interested in wisdom at all.

Proverbs 1:31
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Wisdom, true wisdom, comes only from God, so the man who rejects wisdom rejects God. In life, that rejection really does leave us on our own. What can we do on our own, without God’s help, really? Pitiful little! The man who walks with God, with God’s wisdom, can do great things even if he, of himself, is nothing. The man who walks without God… He has a problem…problems.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 1:23
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

"Turn." There again is the demand for action. Wisdom is saying, "Don’t just listen to my reproof, letting it go in one ear and out the other, but really hear it, and turn away from the path you’re on." If we do this, wisdom promises two things.

"I will pour out my spirit unto you"

I looked up "spirit" and it means "wind" or "breath." This makes me think of God breathing life into Adam, and again of Jesus breathing on the disciples and saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." (John 20:22) The life of God…the Holy Ghost…wisdom…

"I will make known my words unto you."

Who better than Wisdom to help us understand the words she speaks? Listen to Wisdom’s reproof, positively act on her instructions, and she will enable us to know her words. That’s powerful!

Proverbs 1:24-25
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Wisdom isn’t something we have to fight for. She calls out to us, reaches out to us, offers up wise counsel, and even rebukes us. We are the ones who reject or accept wisdom that comes our way.

How many times has someone given me wise counsel-in person, through a book, from the pulpit, in front of a class-that I have rejected? Too many! I’m sure most people slip and reject wisdom every once in a while, but many reject wisdom on a regular basis. To those, wisdom speaks this warning…

Proverbs 1:26-27
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

This is big! Wisdom is saying two things here.

She is saying that she will laugh and mock the one who scorned her, when terrible things come his way.

She is also saying that the one who rejects wisdom-the one who refuses to listen, the one who ignores the outstretched hand, the one who counts wise counsel as nothing-will experience terrible things. Who can measure the amount of trouble we get into when we reject wisdom? We do know this, however. The trouble we get into will include…
    Calamity (oppression)
    What we fear
    Desolation (a tempest)
    Destruction (oppression)
    Distress
    Anguish

This threat, or perhaps more accurately this promise, is not one to ignore. Only a genuine fool would make a practice of rejecting wisdom when he truly understood these consequences.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

PS: You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 1:20
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

In other words, wisdom isn’t hard to find or hard to gain. On the contrary, wisdom is desperately seeking us, trying to help us grow, to aid us in becoming the children of God that we are supposed to be.

Proverbs 1:21
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

I’ve never really thought, before, about the significance of Solomon having likened wisdom to a woman. It seems that tradition says men are more wise than women, yet wisdom is a woman? Interesting.

It’s also interesting, again, that she’s out and about, where the majority of the people are (the chief place of concourse) and at the gates where everyone who enters and leaves the city must pass her. To me, this really does say that wisdom is attainable if we’ll even put forth a little bit of effort to listen to what she has to say.

And what does she have to say?

Proverbs 1:22
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

These are good questions. If wisdom is available to all of us, why would any of us choose to remain simple, ignorant, and lacking?

Again, the obvious answer is, "Flesh." When flesh speaks, it is easy to listen. Our flesh, our natural man, really would rather take things easy, not putting forth any "unnecessary" effort, or setting standards that would take any kind of work to meet. Our natural man also prefers to run with the pack, where he looks just like everyone else in the crowd and only attracts attention when he chooses to.

The wise man, on the other hand, understands that energy well-invested leads to rewards and that running with the crowd can send you straight off a cliff. He refuses to allow the thought of looking different, sounding different, or acting different to intimidate him.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

PS: You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.

Proverbs 1:16-18
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the site of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

It is inevitable. They may seem to get away with their schemes for a time, but ultimately they bring terrible punishment on themselves. As Solomon put it, he who lays a trap for someone else falls into it himself. He may set an ambush for another man, but he is the one who will die.

Proverbs 1:19
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Right. Anyone who is greedy enough to kill someone else in order to gain their belongings is destined to face a terrible end. According to verse 18, they cannot plan terrible things for others without facing those things themselves.
    Yeah, say, "No" and get away from them as quickly as possible.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

PS: You can read more of my Meditations on the Word right here at TammyCardwell.net.