Josiah Espinoza | June 13th, 2019 

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. ~ Proverbs 1:5-6

“let the wise hear and increase in learning”- The simple and the fool can become wise if they are willing to listen and learn from the wise. It is essential that young men find older and wiser men to learn from. How can a young man learn from another young man? Are they not both full of such folly that their council can only solidify their foolishness? How can a young woman learn from another young woman? It is the wise council of an older and wiser woman that trains the young women to be the kind of woman that lives with dignity and honor. The youth do not know wisdom except for the wisdom they have obtained from wise council. Listen and be willing to hear from wise council. Listen to the true teachers of the Scriptures. Listen to those who have godly character. Their words are like water, they can quench the thirsts of the soul; they can give truth to the destitute mind; they can give light to the darkened understanding. What we see in society are men and women longing for wisdom on how to deal with life’s injustices and sufferings, but they turn to the stupid, who claim to be wise. Take heed lest you find yourself ensnared in their foolish and lofty talk. Only God and his wisdom through the Scriptures can ultimately satisfy your thirst in learning because the knowledge that comes from God is truth and the truth shall set your free from your corrupt logic, your darkened thinking and your depraved philosophies.[1]

” Listen and be willing to hear from wise council. Listen to the true teachers of the Scriptures. Listen to those who have godly character. “

“and the one who understands obtain guidance”- It is one thing to listen, it is another thing to understand. Growing up my parents trained me and disciplined me according to the knowledge and fear of God. I can remember having arguments with my parents about how they disciplined me and treated me and I would always tell them that I would never treat my children the way they treated me. They would always say to me, “We will see when you have your own children.” Such wisdom in those words! I listened, I heard their words, but I could not understand their point. I do now, because my four children are now undergoing the same training and discipline that my parents instilled in me. And they too do not understand, but one day they will. Likewise, be willing to listen and strive for understanding. Understanding is the epiphany of listening; it is the moment that revelation takes place. When presuppositions and mental strongholds come crashing down and are overcome with an overwhelming sense of truth and order, that is understanding. Chaos is destroyed at the moment of divine epiphany. Then you will be guided by the truth rather than a lie. You will walk with integrity, wholeness and wisdom. Your heart will not be tossed around by every teaching of philosophy that seems right, rather it will be solidly placed on the rock of understanding.

“to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles”- Work to understand, strive to comprehend. Wisdom does not come without work. If true wisdom were easily attainable, there would be no fools. Do not simply allow for profound truths to slip by you because you do not understand at the moment. Jesus himself spoke in riddles. The parables that Jesus taught in were confusing to the masses. He did it purposefully so that the one hearing them would not comprehend in the moment. They were messages hidden in riddles so that the true seekers, the disciples of Jesus, could come to Jesus seeking understanding. It did not come naturally, it came as a gift of God through divine revelation from the mouth of Jesus as they sought it.

Be the same way. Search the Scriptures, listen to wise council, and seek to understand the mysteries of God, in doing so you will become wise. If you search then God will reveal it, through the Spirit, by his written word and by the mouth of godly teachers. It will require work, but it is not vain work. Seek and you shall find. Ask and it will be given. Anyone lacking in wisdom will be granted wisdom if they truly and faithfully desire it from the Lord.[2]

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

For this people’s heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears they can barely hear, 

and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and turn, and I would heal them.’

Matthew 13:10-15

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[1] Jn. 8:31-32

[2] Jm. 1:5