Josiah Espinoza | June 10th, 2019 

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight. ~ Proverbs 1:1-2

“to know wisdom and instruction”- The knowledge of wisdom cannot not come from youth, for wisdom knows how to rightly live in the world that God created so that it tends to human flourishing. That knowledge does not come from naiveté; it comes from experience. It comes from a life that has undergone joy and suffering, peace and turmoil, happiness and mourning. The “wisdom” that a child gives (especially in a post-modern society) is based upon the knowledge of emotionalism, luxury, and self-indulgence. What wisdom can come from narcissism? The youth must learn from the wise. The child must learn from the learned. The foolish cannot give wise council. The youth are foolish. Youth giving council to youth is equivalent to a blind man leading another blind man. One walks in his own doom while the other foolishly follows. Though they may feel secure in each other’s presence, the destination of their path can only lead to great peril and destruction. That is not to say that adults are not foolish. This world is full of foolish men, but that is due to their lack of instruction in wise council. This world is fool of foolish women, but that comes from being instructed by foolish women.

“Youth giving council to youth is equivalent to a blind man leading another blind man. One walks in his own doom while the other foolishly follows.”

Instruction is the knowledge of leading a well ordered life, a life that tends to human flourishing. How perilous it is for today’s youth, they despise instruction. Any manner of authority, even a righteous one, is looked upon with great disdain. Undoubtedly, Solomon intends to point us to the instruction of the Lord, for the Lord’s instruction is upright, good and righteous. If the youth do not submit themselves to worldly instruction (in fact they cannot), how can they submit themselves to the Lord’s? They don’t. But if the foolish despise instruction, how will they lead an ordered life? They will be condemned to chaos. Only God’s gift of grace can compel a child to obey his instruction and God’s grace can be granted through different avenues, such as, Scripture, parents, godly council etc. Flourishing is the child who receives godly wisdom and instruction, for the grace of God is upon them.

“to understand words of insights”- This is not an easy task. Understanding requires effort and work. Youth do not like to work toward understanding, in their pride they assume total understanding. Their pride is exposed in their simple statement of, “I know.” Yet, if they work and strive to understand words of insight, words of truth, then they can overcome many of life’s trials. Words can give light to life’s greatest treasures and pains. They can give foreknowledge to life’s realities and prepare the heart and mind for times of peace and peril, preparing one to face them with courage and truth. Understanding words of insight from wise council is like a soldier who prepares for war during a time of peace. It trains the mind, it conditions the heart and readies the soul. War will come! It is inevitable. May this book prepare you with wise council, instruction and words of insight from the Lord.