Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 486 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

A House Is Built by Wisdom- Proverbs 24:1-16

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 486 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore the 1^st half of chapter 24.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The closing on our Charlotte home was delayed by a week, but we received final word that it was closed on this past Monday. We are very grateful for this, as it allows us to now focus on additional renovations to The Big House.

On our outside work, we were making good progress on the leaf harvest, but this past weekend, the engine on the large leaf vacuum broke down. I think it is the rod on the main crankshaft that moves the piston. We took it to our local service center for repairs, so that will delay us a bit on finishing gathering the leaves.

We do live in a world where not everything goes according to plan, but with divine guidance and wisdom, we can continue. Wisdom is so important in our lives each day. In fact, it is the very foundation of our lives. As Solomon states in Proverbs 24:3…

A House Is Built by Wisdom

Let’s start our trek with verses 1-2.

¹ Don’t envy evil people

or desire their company.

² For their hearts plot violence,

and their words always stir up trouble.

Although reckless and wild lifestyles may seem appealing at times, it is a grand illusion. You should not envy or seek out those who live that way. Nor should you desire to be with them. Their words plan trouble which leads their hearts to violent actions

³ A house is built by wisdom

and becomes strong through good sense.

⁴ Through knowledge its rooms are filled

with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

A strong home and family is one that is built with wisdom and good common sense. It is knowledge, especially of God’s precepts that will allow a strong home to be filled with riches that money cannot buy

⁵ The wise are mightier than the strong,

and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

⁶ So don’t go to war without wise guidance;

victory depends on having many advisers.

Wisdom will always outdo pure physical strength. It is through wisdom and knowledge that true strength grow. Wisdom and victory in any area of life comes through the advice of wise counselors.

⁷ Wisdom is too lofty for fools.

Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

Those who are foolish remain so because they do not realize their need for wisdom. They falsely believe they are wise. The proof though is when they are among those who are truly wise because their foolishness will silence them.

⁸ A person who plans evil

will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

⁹ The schemes of a fool are sinful;

everyone detests a mocker.

The axiom, “Your reputation precedes you,” can be used in both a positive or negative connotation. If a person is known for the evil they have in their lives, they will be considered a troublemaker. This type of person is a fool and is always scheming their next bout of trouble. They will have a bad reputation and others will detest them.

¹⁰ If you fail under pressure,

your strength is too small.

The test of a strong person is how well they handle problems and hardships. All of us are faced with problems each day, and no one is exempt. If you falter during these times, your strength is small and is an indication of a lack of faith.

¹¹ Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;

save them as they stagger to their death.

¹² Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”

For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.

He who guards your soul knows you knew.

He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

When you see someone who is in trouble and in need of assistance, you should welcome the opportunity to help. This passage could be taken literally, or it could mean when you see someone who is on a dangerous path in life and making poor decisions. It is tempting to ignore these situations and pretend they don’t exist, but God knows their situations. And He knows your heart. The old saying, “What goes around, comes around,” is appropriate here. If you are unwilling to help those in need, even if it is of their own doing, then why should you ever expect others to help you in your time of need?

¹³ My child, eat honey, for it is good,

and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

¹⁴ In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.

If you find it, you will have a bright future,

and your hopes will not be cut short.

I do love honey; it is God’s truly natural sweetener. To chew on honeycomb full of honey is as sweet as it gets. God compares the sweetness of wisdom to that of honey. Wisdom will allow you to make prudent and good choices. With those good choices, your life will also be filled with goodness. Seek wisdom for your soul as you would honey for your body.

¹⁵ Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,

and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

¹⁶ The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

You are never to rise against those who live lives that are following God’s precepts. You are not to harm them or their household. God will give you strength to carry on when you follow Him. Those who choose not to follow God will not have the strength that is needed to persevere during the difficult times of life.

Today we explored nine more wise sayings, which leaves us with much to consider. Next Wisdom Wednesday, we will continue on this trail of the Sayings of the Wise. These proverbs continue to provide us with more wisdom, insight, and understanding.

Regardless of where you are in your faith walk, if you follow the precepts in Proverbs, your life will be rich and satisfying. Take them and plant them in your heart so that you will reap a harvest of wisdom.

Tomorrow we will hike another short trail of Wisdom Unplugged and discover an inspirational wisdom quote. So encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. As you enjoy these daily doses of wisdom, we ask you to help us grow Wisdom-Trek by sharing with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person when you meet with them and invite them to come along with us each day. If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek so each trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!