What is better for me? Do you not ask yourself that question on a regular basis? To arrive at an answer, we look at the pros and cons, the positives and the negatives, the benefits to us, and of course the possible negative outcomes. All of these thought processes are good ones, but are they the best ones? Have you guessed where I am heading as this blog post begins? Most likely you are saying, “Yes.” Do we consider what is better for ourselves through the lens of a biblical worldview? Of course, we do, sometimes. Have you made the jump to assume that I am saying the Bible has the answer for all of our questions? Let me be clear, I know that the Bible cannot answer for me the question of, “Does two plus two equal four?”
I would like to consider that last question for a moment and look at the Book of Proverbs as we do so. Proverbs 15:2 states, “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly” (NASB). As we begin our little investigation of this Proverb, I will make a statement that I often need to consider when I spend time in Proverbs. It is much easier and even so to speak less painful to read the Proverbs from the position of looking at others. What I mean in saying that is we find the pattern of the Proverbs written in such a way that certain things are better then other things. In reading them we can easily say as we see the things we like, “Oh yes, that is who I am.” Of course, the flipside to that is, “Oh yes, that is who they are and that is how they act.” Ahhh…. the typical pastor who says we should be good and not be bad. Now, I didn’t say that, but I admitted at times it is easier to see Proverbs from the eyes of those who we deem need improvement in their lives. I apologize here as maybe you think I am being a little “tongue-in-cheek.” Maybe I am, but I am doing so in a sense to hopefully convey truth. The reading of Proverbs in its poetic structure could lead us to not always to take them as seriously as we should. Let us never forget that this is God’s Word we are talking about here.
Look back at Proverbs 15:2 for a moment and think about what is better. Knowledge is better then folly, is it not? But, what does that have to do with the math equation we mentioned earlier. How do we acquire that information from the Bible? We do not get the specific answer of four, but we can see that pursuing the knowledge of how to arrive at the answer is better than the folly of simply guessing. The wisdom and understanding of how to solve the problem are worth much more then even the answer. God’s wisdom, that we find in His Word, and we see specifically in the Book of Proverbs is so much better than what we can find in the world. “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver” (Proverbs 16:16).