Proverbs 1:9

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about what wisdom looks like:

Proverbs 1:9 (ESV)

for they are a graceful garland for your head

and pendants for your neck.

What does wisdom look like?   What should we see if we someone is full of wisdom?   Solomon is taking the entire book of Proverbs to answer these questions.   Too many people who pursue wisdom think that it comes by force and it is demonstrated by piety.   Yet notice in the beginning of a book full of proverbs, Solomon tells us what it looks like when wisdom is worn.   This proverb is synonymous parallelism.   In the first line wisdom is described as a graceful wreath to your head.   In the second line the same thought is communicated saying wisdom is like an ornament around your neck.   Both of these are complimentary and appealing.  They demonstrate to us that wisdom is meant to be attractive to others.  It is not to be worn in shame.  It is not to be displayed in a way that will embarrass God.   Wisdom is a wonderful thing to see when it is worn appropriately.   When others see the wisdom we have from God they ought to see Christ.    Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 1-2 is wisdom.   The fear of The Lord produces wisdom.  It shows Christ in our lives.   It is attractive to the thirsty soul.

Women are prone to put ornaments on their neck, their ears, and, in extreme cases, their noses.   They do so to "bring out" their natural beauty ... or, so it seems.   Some, of course, use the trinkets to draw attention to themselves.  Like using a lure on a fish, they attempt to suck in the opposite sex with a bait of tin, gold, and/or silver.   In the above proverb we have the same thought, but instead of silver and gold it is God's Word that is the ornament.  When we listen to God's Word it brings out the beauty that God has placed inside us.  When we heed the Word of God it draws the attention of others and reflects the glory of God.   God's Word, when followed, will be like the wreath on the head of an olympic champion.   It draws attention to the person and points to what he/she has accomplished.  But, we only accomplish something when God's Word is active inside us.  In Hebrews 4:12 we read that God's Word is "living and active" and it produces in us a great fruit for God.   Study God's Word and yield to it.   It gives us an ornament of wisdom by God’s grace.