TLIC FAMILY. PROVERBS. SEPTEMBER 8: READY.

THINK TOGETHER.

Can you repeat anything you’ve learned from Proverbs so far this year?

READ TOGETHER

Proverbs 22:17-18. ¹⁷Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, ¹⁸for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

Most Bible teachers see verse 17 as an introduction to a new section of the book of Proverbs called “The Thirty Sayings of the Wise.” Hopefully you are learning how to be wise as your family reads through the book of Proverbs together, and these verses are a great reminder of how wisdom works into our lives.

First we hear it – Incline your ear, and hear… What are the ways that you hear wisdom? Where do you hear wisdom? Remember, Jesus and his life are God’s ultimate wisdom, so we can also ask where and when do you hear about Jesus?

Next, we must apply what we hear – apply your heart to my knowledge. It takes more than just hearing about the wisdom of God and Jesus, doesn’t it? How many times have you heard something from the Bible and then immediately forgotten it? So we must take the time after hearing to ask hard questions like, “How would I be different if I believed this?” Or, “How do I think I can trust Jesus more?”

The next step is to keep God’s wisdom inside of you – for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you. And what Solomon is saying is that God’s wisdom, his love and grace as seen in Jesus and his cross, will become more and more enjoyable and satisfying to us the more we keep (protect) these truths in our hearts. Do you love God’s wisdom?

Finally, we need to keep God’s wisdom ready on our lips. We must talk about it. The more we talk about God’s wisdom, and about the gospel of Jesus the more it makes sense to us and grabs hold in our lives. We should be able to repeat God’s wisdom to others, out loud, with our words. Can you?

Because of Jesus we know all of God’s wisdom in knowing him.

With Jesus we can get God’s wisdom down deep into our hearts.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

“Ready on your lips.” Make rehearsing what you’ve learned a regular part of your family devotion time. Help your children to be able to say the truths of God’s wisdom out loud.

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, let me get your wisdom into my heart and out through my words. Amen.