Wednesday – Proverbs Series – Lesson 6 – Instructions for Pursuing Wisdom – May 20, 2026
Proverbs – Lesson 6 – Proverbs 2 – Instructions for Pursuing Wisdom (May 20, 2026)
PROVERBS: God’s Handbook for His Image Bearers
Lesson 6 • “Instructions for Pursuing Wisdom”
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Series Overview |
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About This Book • Solomon is the main editor & contributor to the book of Proverbs
• The book of Proverbs equips us to image God
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Where We Are • Chapter 1 — Wisdom was pursuing us
• Chapter 2 — Incentives for pursuing wisdom
• Today — Instructions for pursuing wisdom
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In Chapter 1, we heard three voices speaking: • The voice of parents warning and instructing their son
• The voice of sinners enticing the son
• The voice of wisdom crying out
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Proverbs 2:1–4 (KJV) |
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1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; |
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Chapter 1 Wisdom is pursuing us publicly |
Chapter 2 We respond by pursuing wisdom personally |
Solomon has already taught us the “why” of pursuing wisdom; now he teaches us the “how” of pursuing wisdom.
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How Did Solomon Become the Wisest Person Who Ever Lived? |
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This is almost a trick question, because our first response is to say “He prayed for it.” When Solomon became King of Israel, God appeared to him in a dream and told Solomon to ask for anything he wanted or needed from God. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. (1 Kings 3:5–15). God was pleased with Solomon’s request and He promised to grant Solomon a wise and understanding heart that would be unmatched by anyone before or after Solomon. BUT that is only part of the answer. Solomon tells us that he still had to be intentional to seek out wisdom. |
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Ecclesiastes 1:12–13 (KJV) — I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. |
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Ecclesiastes 7:25 (KJV) — I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. |
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Ecclesiastes 12:9–12 (KJV) — And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. |
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Consider the last line of verse 12 — “much study is weariness of the flesh.” Solomon was acknowledging that to acquire wisdom his son would have to apply himself intentionally, personally, physically, and mentally. It will be exhausting but rewarding work. |
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Solomon’s Instructions for Pursuing Wisdom |
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Proverbs 2:1 (KJV) — My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; |
Step 1 — Receive
Solomon provides the first two steps in pursuing wisdom. The first step is to “receive my words.” This is a very intentional, personal, and active step.
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As this lesson is being taught, we know that everyone is hearing the words; but what we are not able to know is if anyone is receiving the message. Only the person who is receiving them knows it, because this is happening inside your mind and your heart. It is an intentional action. The word Solomon used for “receive” is the same word that describes Eve reaching out and taking the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. She did not hold out her hand while the fruit was dropped in; she had to deliberately take hold. We can hear words of the sermon without taking hold of the message. |
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Your first step in pursuing wisdom is to come to each Bible study or sermon determined to take hold of the message. Picture two people listening to a sermon: One holds their hands out waiting for something good to drop in them. The other hears the message and reaches out to take it. |
Active Listening
Active listening is fully concentrating on what is being communicated with the intent to understand, retain, and respond. The core components are:
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Attention |
Eliminating distractions, being fully present, giving your complete focus to what is being said |
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Engagement |
Your body and mind are both involved. You lean in. You process what is being said, not just hear it |
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Retention |
You hold onto what you heard. You do not just let it pass through you |
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Response |
You act on what you received |
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Discussion / Application 1. How does this change how you approach reading your Bible, participating in a Bible study, or hearing a sermon?
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How Did This Look in the Life of the Disciples?
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They left their occupations to become the disciples of Jesus — they were with Him daily; He was sharing life with them; and Jesus was teaching them. How many discussions about the Kingdom of God do you think they had over their time together? How many sermons did they hear Jesus preach? |
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Jesus was training them to be His disciples: • He was transforming them into His own image
• He was preparing them to carry on His mission to expand the Kingdom of God after He was gone
• They were to “receive” His words — to reach out and take hold of the message, as opposed to just hearing the words
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The term “disciple” means “learner” — it describes someone who devotes themselves to imitating the mentor. Jesus was teaching the disciples to imitate Him in character, conduct, and Biblical truth. This is essential to our Proverbs study — God’s Handbook for His Image Bearers.
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Ephesians 5:1 (KJV) — Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. |
The concept of being someone’s child in the Bible means being like them. Images of them.
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1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV) — Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. |
Paul is calling on them to imitate him, as he is imitating Christ.
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What Does This Mean for Solomon? In Proverbs, Solomon was not calling on his son to just stop for a moment while he tells him something. Solomon was saying take hold of this teaching so it will take hold of you. Solomon was not just giving him something to listen to, but something to live by. |
Step 2 — Hide
Step two is to hide the commandments with thee. The word Solomon uses means to store up, to treasure. When we place this alongside the first step — to take hold of the message — the second step is to take hold for the purpose of using it.
Once again, we consider the example of the disciples. The time they spent with Jesus they were taking hold of His teaching. And when they were sent out into the world they were drawing from His teaching so they could disciple others to image Jesus.
Salvation is believing in Jesus so that we become like Jesus.
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The Gold Bar |
Connor the Mechanic |
Sue’s Wedding Treasures |
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Imagine someone gave you a valuable bar of gold. You would not leave it in your yard or lay it around the house. You would put it somewhere safe because you want to one day benefit from its value. |
Connor is a mechanic. One of his mentors gives him a very expensive and practical tool. Connor carefully secures it in his toolbox because one day he will need to use that tool and he wants it in a safe and convenient place. |
Sue is engaged to be married. Her family has given her special gifts — cast iron pans passed down through the family, a special necklace worn at generations of weddings, and a beautiful wedding dress. She stores all of these in a safe place because each item has special value to her and she plans to use them in the future. |
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Solomon was telling his son — “receive my words (take hold of them) and treasure them up because you will need to use them.” Solomon is not asking his son to pay attention for a moment. He is saying take hold of these words and let them shape who you will be. |
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Psalm 119:11 (KJV) — Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. |
The psalmist is not saying “I memorized some Bible verses.” He is saying “I have come to the Bible with active listening. I have taken hold of the teaching. I have stored it up and it is shaping, changing, molding me.”
Notice that his action resulted in turning away from sin — choosing righteousness over sin, pleasure, greed, etc.
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Practical Steps |
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ATTITUDE |
• Remind yourself — “I am here to learn”
• Remind yourself — “I am responsible to learn”
• Remind yourself — “Learning takes effort”
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POSTURE |
• Position yourself to listen
• Remove or limit distractions
• Make eye contact
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ENGAGE |
• Ask questions of the teaching
• Take notes; repeat key truths
• Repeat the teaching in a way you can understand
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RESPOND |
• Agree or disagree with the teaching
• Align your beliefs & behavior with Biblical teaching
• Apply the teaching immediately
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Application |
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• In chapter 1, Wisdom is pursuing you and me.
• In chapter 2, Solomon is challenging us to pursue Wisdom.
• This begins with an intentional attitude and posture as we come to the Bible or a sermon.
• Be intentional to take hold of the message, not just hear the words.
• Be determined to understand the meaning.
• Be active by responding to the teaching.
• Be transformed into the image of God.
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