Proverbs 14:33 "Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known."
All throughout Solomon's proverbs, he links wisdom and understanding as inseparable attributes. Where one goes, they both go. If a person gets understanding, wisdom follows and vice versa. While that is a wonderful spiritual reality, that is not the primary truth of this proverb. Had Solomon chosen the word, "existeth" or "arriveth," we couldn’t say that. But because he very intentionally chose the word, "resteth," we can say that. If a person possesses spiritual understanding, he will almost always assuredly possess wisdom and that wisdom will have the ability to REST in that man's heart. Spiritual understanding cultivates a calm environment in the heart for wisdom to feel at ease. Where a heart is occupied by understanding, wisdom enjoys a home where it doesn't feel the need to fix everything and everyone. Understanding from God puts a heart at ease. It tells us that not every problem in life is our problem. It helps us realize that some people don't want help or that some people need someone other than ourselves. It informs us that most issues take time to resolve. Perhaps best of all, understanding hangs a beautiful picture on the wall of our heart that says, "Not everyone needs to hear your wisdom." Beneath that picture is a smaller framed saying that reads, "Just Listen."
Divine understanding helps divine wisdom REST in our hearts. It doesn't put Wisdom in a coma or in a deep sleep. It doesn't render Wisdom useless nor does it waste her counsel. It simply puts her at ease so she can be at her best. True understanding and true wisdom work so well together. Wisdom is wired to address anything and everything - she's so smart! Understanding is really good at knowing what to address and what not to address; who to address and who not address - she's so discerning! Wisdom is gifted at fixing the room whereas Understanding is gifted at reading the room. Understanding knows that there are many people who don't want to hear from Wisdom. She knows that many people won't heed her words. She is especially good at detecting when a person would be open to hearing from Wisdom or when a person is most vulnerable to her counsel. Wisdom knows this about Understanding so she relaxes in the heart and leans on Understanding's intuition. With Understanding in the room, Wisdom doesn't start pacing or shouting as soon as she hears someone in need of her insight. She calmly processes what dilemmas she hears, calculates the solutions and sits tight until Understanding gives her the nod to engage.
What a powerful picture for us to envision when thinking about wisdom in our heart! If God has given us wisdom and understanding, we should realize that we don't need to share it with everyone. If we've been blessed with these sister virtues, we shouldn't feel the need to fix everyone and everything. If we have these spiritual attributes, we should be very comfortable just listening to people complain about their problems without the urge to tell them our perceived solutions. If we feel the urge to tell everyone what we know, we lack understanding. If we have to get out of our mouth what we feel in our heart, we lack understanding. If we have a real hard time listening without thinking about our comeback, instruction or correction, we lack understanding. If we want everyone we talk with to know that we're wise, we most definitely lack understanding. With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is able to chill and relax without any recognition. With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is very content just being an observer instead of a participant. She doesn't feel like she is being wasted or that she's being irresponsible. She doesn't feel like a failure or that she's being lazy because Understanding has helped her see that some people just won't benefit from her getting involved.
Without Understanding, Wisdom is still just as smart and insightful. Without Understanding, Wisdom is just as accurate with her proposed solutions and counsel. Without Understanding, Wisdom is still pure in heart and true in motive. She's never wrong and she's never inappropriate. But without Understanding, she engages every person she comes in contact with. Without her sister attribute, she'll offer to fix every problem and every dilemma for everyone. Without Understanding, she'll be constantly working and talking because there's always something or someone to fix. Without Understanding, she would feel bad not offering to help when she has the answers to everything. Understanding helps her save her energy for the right person at the right time. Understanding helps her justify saving her energy for the people, times and places when she will be most effective.
In the latter part of this proverb, Solomon gives us the picture of a person without this calming and discerning virtue. By definition, a fool lacks both wisdom and understanding. Without understanding, a fool doesn't know when to be quiet and when to speak. Without understanding, a foolish person doesn't differentiate the need to listen from the need to speak. Without it, a fool thinks everyone wants to, or worse, needs to hear what he's thinking. He doesn't see the need to keep anything to himself. He doesn't think he'll do more damage than good by telling someone what he thinks. He doesn't realize that most people don't want to hear what he thinks. He doesn't imagine that people don't care about what he has to say. In fact, he believes that everyone will be thoroughly impressed with his thoughts on the matter. He's convinced that people will be amazed by how smart he is. A man or woman without understanding believes that they're thinking something that no one else has thought before. They can't sit on it. They can't wait to share it. They can't keep it in. They can't just let it be a private thought - it has to go public! Whatever "it" is (and we know “it” is not wisdom), “it” is quickly and loudly "made known." It may be utter foolishness that is in the midst of the fool, but it will be "made known." It may be total insanity or common knowledge that is in the heart of the fool, but it will be "made known."
When praying for wisdom, pray for understanding for it is the virtue that helps wisdom REST. By helping her rest, Understanding helps Wisdom be that much more effective in those moments where she will be more likely to be heard and needed. Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting GET UNDERSTANDING."
Divine understanding helps divine wisdom REST in our hearts. It doesn't put Wisdom in a coma or in a deep sleep. It doesn't render Wisdom useless nor does it waste her counsel. It simply puts her at ease so she can be at her best. True understanding and true wisdom work so well together. Wisdom is wired to address anything and everything - she's so smart! Understanding is really good at knowing what to address and what not to address; who to address and who not address - she's so discerning! Wisdom is gifted at fixing the room whereas Understanding is gifted at reading the room. Understanding knows that there are many people who don't want to hear from Wisdom. She knows that many people won't heed her words. She is especially good at detecting when a person would be open to hearing from Wisdom or when a person is most vulnerable to her counsel. Wisdom knows this about Understanding so she relaxes in the heart and leans on Understanding's intuition. With Understanding in the room, Wisdom doesn't start pacing or shouting as soon as she hears someone in need of her insight. She calmly processes what dilemmas she hears, calculates the solutions and sits tight until Understanding gives her the nod to engage.
What a powerful picture for us to envision when thinking about wisdom in our heart! If God has given us wisdom and understanding, we should realize that we don't need to share it with everyone. If we've been blessed with these sister virtues, we shouldn't feel the need to fix everyone and everything. If we have these spiritual attributes, we should be very comfortable just listening to people complain about their problems without the urge to tell them our perceived solutions. If we feel the urge to tell everyone what we know, we lack understanding. If we have to get out of our mouth what we feel in our heart, we lack understanding. If we have a real hard time listening without thinking about our comeback, instruction or correction, we lack understanding. If we want everyone we talk with to know that we're wise, we most definitely lack understanding. With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is able to chill and relax without any recognition. With Understanding in our hearts, Wisdom is very content just being an observer instead of a participant. She doesn't feel like she is being wasted or that she's being irresponsible. She doesn't feel like a failure or that she's being lazy because Understanding has helped her see that some people just won't benefit from her getting involved.
Without Understanding, Wisdom is still just as smart and insightful. Without Understanding, Wisdom is just as accurate with her proposed solutions and counsel. Without Understanding, Wisdom is still pure in heart and true in motive. She's never wrong and she's never inappropriate. But without Understanding, she engages every person she comes in contact with. Without her sister attribute, she'll offer to fix every problem and every dilemma for everyone. Without Understanding, she'll be constantly working and talking because there's always something or someone to fix. Without Understanding, she would feel bad not offering to help when she has the answers to everything. Understanding helps her save her energy for the right person at the right time. Understanding helps her justify saving her energy for the people, times and places when she will be most effective.
In the latter part of this proverb, Solomon gives us the picture of a person without this calming and discerning virtue. By definition, a fool lacks both wisdom and understanding. Without understanding, a fool doesn't know when to be quiet and when to speak. Without understanding, a foolish person doesn't differentiate the need to listen from the need to speak. Without it, a fool thinks everyone wants to, or worse, needs to hear what he's thinking. He doesn't see the need to keep anything to himself. He doesn't think he'll do more damage than good by telling someone what he thinks. He doesn't realize that most people don't want to hear what he thinks. He doesn't imagine that people don't care about what he has to say. In fact, he believes that everyone will be thoroughly impressed with his thoughts on the matter. He's convinced that people will be amazed by how smart he is. A man or woman without understanding believes that they're thinking something that no one else has thought before. They can't sit on it. They can't wait to share it. They can't keep it in. They can't just let it be a private thought - it has to go public! Whatever "it" is (and we know “it” is not wisdom), “it” is quickly and loudly "made known." It may be utter foolishness that is in the midst of the fool, but it will be "made known." It may be total insanity or common knowledge that is in the heart of the fool, but it will be "made known."
When praying for wisdom, pray for understanding for it is the virtue that helps wisdom REST. By helping her rest, Understanding helps Wisdom be that much more effective in those moments where she will be more likely to be heard and needed. Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting GET UNDERSTANDING."
Posted in Proverbs Commentary
Posted in Solomon, wisdom, Understanding, fools, Talking, listening, Fixing, Anxious
Posted in Solomon, wisdom, Understanding, fools, Talking, listening, Fixing, Anxious
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