Teach Me Jesus Thursday: The Way of Wisdom

Now that our homeschool year is over, we have started a summer study on God’s wisdom. Scripture says this about wisdom, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7).

Sometimes though, we can read wisdom literature, such as the book of Proverbs, without a gospel perspective. I want my children to learn God’s wisdom and desire to pursue it, but not treat such literature like a list of rules they need to keep to gain God’s love and acceptance. I want them to pursue and love wisdom because they are already accepted by God through Christ. I teach my children that the Bible is about Jesus and the wisdom literature is no exception.

This is what the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (Black) says about Jesus and the book of Proverbs:

“The book of Proverbs is an outpouring of grace from God. Again and again, the author appeals to the reader as his dear “son”…This book breathes with the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15). We may therefore study Proverbs not to earn a sonship still out of reach but to bear witness to a sonship already given.

The rest of the Bible makes clear that Jesus is the one who perfectly embodies this unique wisdom. According to the Old Testament, the Messiah would be anointed with “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Sprit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” (Isa. 11:2). According to the New Testament, Jesus is God’s gift of wisdom to sinners (1 Cor. 1:30). Solomon was a genius, but Jesus was greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). He amazed people with his wisdom. To this day, he counsels his church through his Word. The wisdom of Jesus can be hard to accept, since it led not to popularity but to a cross. But if we will humbly receive the divine wisdom hidden in Christ, the book of Proverbs will open up as a powerful word from our Wonderful Counselor.

Through the book of Proverbs, God our Father guides his children into practical sanctification. But the book offers far more than handy tips. Proverbs provides profound wisdom given by God for our complex decisions. Thus, its wisdom is a provision of grace, enabling us to navigate the problems and perils of life with a fatherly guidance we have not earned nor can provide by our own devices….”

I read the above excerpt to my kids and discussed how Jesus perfectly fulfilled the wisdom of Proverbs. He is the only all wise one, wiser than King Solomon, the writer of most of Proverbs. Christ’s perfect life and sacrificial death make it possible for us to gain wisdom. Without the gospel, our heart’s would naturally have no desire for wisdom. But because of Jesus, we can seek, find, and enjoy God’s wisdom.

Ideas for teaching wisdom to your children:

1. Do a study on God’s wisdom: This summer, we are reading through God’s Wisdom (Making Him Known) and Get Wisdom! Another idea is to simply read through the wisdom literature in Scripture and discuss it with your children. If you are reading through the Proverbs, go through it slowly. Discuss what each wisdom statement means, what it teaches us about God and his character, and what he desires for us. Also discuss the ways we struggle to live out the proverb, how Jesus perfectly lived out such wisdom, and the ways he helps us to learn and grow in wisdom.

2. Use word pictures: Proverbs is filled with images and metaphors to explain the way of wisdom such as “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” (Proverbs 16:24) The comparison between our words and the sweet taste of honey helps us understand how good kind words are. Perhaps make up some word pictures of your own to help your children understand the wise sayings in Scripture.

For example, to drive home the point of the Proverbs 16:24 passage above, do a taste test using a little decaf. coffee, lemon juice, and honey. Have your child taste each one. Discuss the comparison between kind words and the sweet taste of honey and unkind words to the bitter and sour tastes of coffee and lemons.

There are a number of Proverbs about anger. Proverbs 26:21 compares anger to fire. If you have a fire pit in your backyard, make a bonfire with your kids and talk about comparison between fire and anger. The book of James also compares the tongue to fire. Watch as the fire grows and spreads from the initial spark and discuss the power of the tongue.

You can do this with many Proverbs. Wisdom is described as being better that gold. Have your child make a necklace or some kind of jewelry to remember a proverb they are learning. Another idea would be to go on a hike and when you get to a place where the path splits off, talk about the two paths we choose from in life, the way of wisdom and the way of foolishness.

3. Read a proverb a day: There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, you can read one a day for a month.

4. Memorize a Proverb: Perhaps there are particular areas of wisdom that your child needs to learn. Select a few Proverbs related to those issues and have them memorize them. Here are a few ideas:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

5. Read stories that help explain different Proverbs: This allegory takes the Proverbs and puts them into a story format to help explain the meaning: Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life. Or make up your own story, one that helps your children understand a particular Proverb they are learning.

6. Play a Game: Last week, I shared a post on how to make your own board game. Making a board game to help your child practice what they have learned about God’s wisdom is fun and engaging. Click here if you missed that post.

7. Make an Acrostic Poem: Using words such as ‘Proverbs’ or ‘Way of Wisdom’ have your child make an acrostic poem about what they have learned about God’s wisdom.

Do you have any ideas on activities to do that would help children better understand God’s wisdom or perhaps studies you’ve done on wisdom literature? I would love to hear about it!