Day 22 Fathers Encouragement | Proverbs 3:21-22

Fathers Encouragement

Verse 22 reminds us of verse 3. Verse 3 tells us to wear love about our necks. In many countries, women display their beautiful objects. They wear gold, silver and precious stones on chains about their necks.

Verse 22 encourages us. There are plenty of beautiful things for us. Right decisions, love and wisdom are all beautiful things. They are better than any precious stone.

Gold and silver may be beautiful. Wisdom is more beautiful than any valuable objects.

Wisdom is a term already used frequently in Proverbs. In this book, it refers to an ability to apply godly knowledge. In prior verses, Solomon depicted wisdom as a woman (Proverbs 1:20; 3:14). True wisdom includes not just intellectual prowess but also correct moral judgment. In this verse "sound judgment" means victory or the success that results from having wisdom.

Here, the concept of discretion is applauded. In English, the word discretion implies making sound decisions, especially between options—it emphasizes an ability to separate between subtly different things. In Hebrew, the word is me-zim'māh', fathers encouragement, which includes many different ideas, including plotting, planning, and careful thought. Having the quality of discretion means carefully assessing how and when to act, or not, under circumstances that require it.

Joshua urged his generation to make the right decision, the one he had made. He said he and his house would serve the Lord, and he challenged the Israelites to choose whom they would serve. He said, "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD…choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:14–15).

Christians, too, need the ability to make right decisions. We must refuse to let the world squeeze us into its mold and instead yield our body and mind to the Lord for the performance of His good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:1–2). That does not always come with easy, simple, clear choices—we often must use our own discretion (1 Corinthians 10:23; Romans 14:23).

Here we see the benefits of sound wisdom and discretion: the "they" referred to here are those qualities from the prior verse. While wisdom implies the ability to act on knowledge, discretion is the capacity to closely assess something. The Hebrew word translated as "discretion" is me-zim'māh', which includes ideas like plotting, planning, and analyzing. A "wise" person knows how to apply their knowledge in a godly way. A "discerning" person is careful and precise in making decisions.

These two attributes bring the benefits of life and a good reputation. All who believe on Jesus as Savior receive abundant life (John 10:10). When Jesus promised the woman at Jacob's well that she would never thirst again if she drank from His well, He said, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13–14). A spring of water differs from an ordinary well, because it is an artesian well with its source higher than its outflow. It bubbles and gushes! Similarly, the life Jesus gives has energy and force. The Christian life, therefore, is not stagnant but energetic to the benefit of all who witness it. It is like an attractive necklace that people observe with admiration.

Support the show

Visit the website at

https://www.wisdomfortheday.org