Approaching the book of Proverbs as a superficial “how-to” manual for relationships can be tempting. The practical wisdom saturates the pages. Those in the field of behavioral psychology could benefit greatly from reading Proverbs. Solomon gives us disciplines to employ that lead to productivity and long-term happiness. We are also given behaviors to avoid that are destructive. So, if we are not careful, we can read Proverbs like one might read Atomic Habits by James Clear, 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, or Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. These books (and other books like them) have much to commend them, but they aren’t Proverbs.
Proverbs is not merely a manual for superficial techniques. At the heart of the wisdom of Proverbs is the matter of the human heart. The wisdom that God requires of us runs deeper than a mere manipulation of our situations to turn things to our benefit. The wisdom that God calls for is wisdom that captivates the heart.
The heart of man, according to Scripture, is the central command of our being. There are times in Proverbs that the heart is equated with the mind (cf. e.g., 3.3; 6.32a; 7.7b). The mind involves the brain but is not reduced to the brain. The mind is the way we think, the way we see and respond to God, others, and the world around us. The heart also involves our emotions (15.15, 30), the will (11.20; 14.14), and the whole inner being (3.5). The heart, therefore, is the center of our being; mind, will, and emotions, the source of our affections and loyalties, the command center that directs thoughts, desires, and actions.
Whatever or whoever has your heart owns you and determines everything about your life. This is why Solomon calls for his son to “guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life” (4.23). All of life flows from the heart; from the seemingly inconsequential relationship with the mundane things of life to your eternal destiny.
The heart is something that is shared between the wise and the fool. The only thing that distinguishes between the two is what each does with his heart. The fool’s problem is not the lack of mental equipment, some intellectual deficiency or disability. The problem with the fool is his rebellion. He has an obedience problem, refusing to listen to God. “The fool says in his heart, ‘No, God!’” (Pss 14.1; 53.1).
All of us are conceived and born foolish. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of children (22.15). It must be disciplined out of us with the rod of correction and instruction in the way of wisdom. Our hearts must be cultivated in wisdom.
Think of yourself as a plot of earth. You have the potential to grow good fruit and beautiful flowers, or you can produce thorns and thistles. Though God is the sovereign determiner of what ultimately happens, we also know that his sovereignty cannot be used as an excuse to disobey his commands, which, in this case, means cultivating our hearts. Solomon’s call to his son to seek wisdom, apply it, etc. throughout Proverbs is the son’s responsibility … and ours. Leave the secret things to God and do what he says (Dt 29.29).
How then do you cultivate a heart for wisdom? The whole body is involved. In 4.20-27 and 22.17, for example, Solomon speaks of eyes, ears, and feet all being involved in getting wisdom into the heart. Your feet take you where you can see and hear wisdom. Wisdom comes from outside of you (remember, your heart is bound up with foolishness), entering through what you hear and observe from the Scriptures (the fundamental source of wisdom) and those who teach them. As your feet put you in the place to hear and observe wisdom, wisdom enters you, and then you choose to treasure it in your heart. Wisdom treasured in the heart then begins to command the entire body.
The process begins by listening to wisdom. “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings…” (4.20). Listening is not the mere exercise of letting sound waves penetrate your ears. Listening is a discipline that seeks to understand what is said without imposing on the speaker what I want to hear. Listening is a position of humility before wisdom.
Listening must be accompanied by allegiance to or faith in God. “Trust in Yahweh with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (3.5-6). To gain wisdom, you must trust the all-wise one, not relying upon your own understanding. This doesn’t mean that God wants you to remain ignorant. Au contraire! It is always the smartest thing to do to rely upon someone who has more perspective than you do. God knows the end of all ways of living. Even when you don’t perfectly understand, even when some things look good at the time, trusting the one who is all-wise and says, “You don’t need to go that way. There is danger down that path.” is the smartest thing to do.
Cultivating a heart of wisdom is not for the lazy. It takes work. You are to seek for it (2.1-5; 15.14; 18.15), apply your heart to it (22.17; 23.12), and direct your heart in the way (23.19). Wisdom will not drop out of the sky while you’re sleeping. You must pursue wisdom in prayer, the Scriptures, seeking out teachers, and engaging with the creation to bring order from disorder. The more you engage, make mistakes, do what is right, and see results, the more you will grow in wisdom and have a heart for it.
Cultivated wisdom as encouraged in Proverbs will not be a superficial set of behavioral techniques (though it will most certainly involve specific behaviors). God’s wisdom will own your heart. This is the way you will understand reality. Your deepest desires and allegiances will be to God’s way of thinking and behaving because all other alternative realities created by the world are insane.
Your heart can be cultivated in wisdom, but ultimately, no one can do it for you. You must take responsibility and heed Wisdom’s call.
