Words of the Wise: Dave Reed
As we are in our “A Word to the Wise” series, we thought we would take some time and ask some of the amazing people in our community to share their thoughts on the book of Proverbs and what it means to live with wisdom.
Q. This is your second blog in our A Word to the Wise series and we have asked you to share a Proverb that you shared with the staff.
Yes, for those who may not know, my name is Dave Reed and I love that Proverbs talks about the value of wisdom, and in Proverbs 2:4 it says:
“If you seek it like silver
And search for it as for hidden treasures, “
Q. One of your daily habits is to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs. Why is this something that you continue to do and why is this proverb so important to you?
In our pursuit of wisdom, this verse implies that it is there to be found. It frames expectations and then gives us two approaches to finding wisdom. I know there is much that can be said about the “how”, but in this verse, we are presented with two different approaches:
The first is silver. In looking at how silver is found, Britannica describes it as being “found generally in lead ores, copper ores, and cobalt arsenide ores and is also frequently associated with gold in nature. Most silver is derived as a by-product from ores that are mined and processed to obtain these other metals.”
I found this particularly interesting as wisdom can often be found in the faithful, foundational walk with the Lord. It is the ‘read your bible, pray every day’ approach. As we walk worthy of the calling, we will find wisdom as a by-product of that walk. This approach to finding wisdom is the incidental discovery of wisdom that comes from a Christ-like life.
The second approach is to search for it like hidden treasure. By implication, this demands dedication or at least intentional pursuit. If we think of the treasure maps we drew as children with swamps, cliffs and ‘There be Dragons Here!’, we expect conquest and challenge on the path to this treasure and it requires decisive action, specific equipment and unwavering resolve.
So in this Proverb, I see both the INCIDENTAL and the INTENTIONAL approaches to finding wisdom.
Q. This is quite a different approach to wisdom than that of the world, so how do you live both the incidental and intentional pursuit of wisdom out practically?
Being aware of the incidental and the intensional dimensions helps me make the most of the wisdom that is there to be found. When I expect incidental wisdom on my daily walk, I am better positioned to not miss it when it shows up. I am seeking it like silver.
But I also know there are many situations where conscious intentional work is needed to find specific wisdom for a particular problem or the best approach to an opportunity. In dedicated prayer and study, we engage in the hard work of searching for it, and our intentional pursuit is ultimately rewarded with wisdom. In my experience, this searching for treasure takes time, but it is well worth the effort.
Q. When you speak about the Proverbs it is clear as day that you have found life in this book, so why would you encourage someone to frequently read the book of Proverbs?
In our intense pursuit of Wisdom, Proverbs is the go-to book. Most of the proverbs were written by Solomon, who we are told was exceedingly wise and they are, in my opinion, his best writings. When asked by God, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” Solomon said, “Give me wisdom…” I would like to learn from that guy.