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Chapter 3: A Thought to Unpack
My friend Karen sent me this quote and I love it. She warned that it was “strongly-worded” and might be difficult to unpack the meaning, but quotes that are strongly-worded strengthen your thinking, so prepare to unpack! You will really appreciate what Vinet is saying.
He offers a wise warning we all should heed. After you read it, I would love to know how it strikes you. What does it mean to you? Leave your comment below.
"Habits of thought are not less tyrannical than other habits, and a time comes when return is impossible, even to the strongest will."
– Alexander Vinet
Chapter 3: Petite Proverbs Primer
Since using wise words is essential for speaking truth to your soul, it might interest you to see the origin of many of the wise sayings that we can store away in our thought closets. The book of Proverbs is an anthology of wise sayings. Israel’s King Solomon is the most famous contributor to the vast collection of wisdom contained in that book. (Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1).
“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon." (1 Kings 4:29, 32, 34)
While many sayings in the book of Proverbs came from Solomon, other authors are quoted also. A number of wise sayings probably came from a group of teachers known as Israel’s “wise people.” (Jeremiah 18:18) These teachers were known for their practical wisdom. These “wise people” were familiar with (and may have drawn from) comparable kinds of wisdom writings found in the literature of Israel's neighbors. For example, the thirty wise sayings in Proverbs 22;17- 24:22 are similar in style and language to an ancient Egyptian collection known as the Instruction of Amenemope. Other wisdom sayings are similar to those that are found in Mesopotamian and Assyrian wisdom literature. It is believed that the biblical collection of proverbs was most likely compiled into its final form between three and four hundred years after King Solomon died.
While the book of Proverbs may reflect the view of wisdom that was commonly held in the ancient world, there is one important difference in the wise sayings contained in Proverbs. As Matthew Henry notes, Proverbs was written and compiled “…by the Holy Ghost for making known the mind of God to us, writing as moved by the finger of God.” In the book of Proverbs, true wisdom is set apart because it comes from the Lord God, and wisdom is said to have been with the Lord at the beginning of time (Proverbs 8:22-31).
Here is a basic outline of Proverbs (as researched by the American Bible Society):
1. Introduction (Proverbs 1:1-7)
2. Seek wisdom avoid foolishness (Proverbs 1:8-7:27)
3. Find life through wisdom (Proverbs 8, 9)
4. Sayings of Solomon (Proverbs 10:1-22:17)
5. Sayings of wise people (Proverbs 22:17-24:34)
6. Sayings of Solomon copied by Judah’s King Hezekiah (Proverbs 25-29)
These proverbs are credited to Solomon, but they were copied sometime between 715-687 B.C.
7. Sayings of Agur and of Lemuel's Mother (Proverbs 30, 31). This final part (Proverbs 31:10-31) has been described as the epilog. It is an acrostic poem, which means the first word of each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Chapter 3: Words of Wisdom
The words that we speak to our soul need to be not only positive, but also wise. They will be like a compass that guides us in the right direction of our thinking. Take a moment to ponder some of these wise thoughts from our peers...
“Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.”
“To acquire knowledge, one must study- but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
“It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.”
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
- Plato
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”
“Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.”
“Knowledge comes, but wisdom stays.”
“The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions.”
“The highest form of wisdom is kindness.”
“Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.”
“A man only becomes wise when he begins to calculate the approximate depth of his ignorance.”
“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.”
“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”
“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”
“We seem to gain wisdom more readily through our failures than through our successes.”
Chapter 3: Fear Factor Assessment
Centuries ago, ancient Hebrew scribes scrupulously copied the text of the Old Testament again and again as a way of preserving Scripture for future generations. In doing so, they had to write the name of God countless times.
But they so highly regarded His name that they used only the consonants “YHWH” to denote His name and refrain from misusing it. Biblical scholars are not sure exactly what the vowels were for the divine name of God known today as the tetragrammaton. “Yahweh" is our closest guess.
Before a Massoretic scribe would write the name of God, he would first wash himself and then use a new pen. This was to show respect for the name of God and to carefully keep from breaking the Third Commandment. (Ex 20:7)
A Jew never even dared to utter the name of God when reading Scripture aloud. Instead he would substitute “Adonai,” which means "Lord" or "Master.” This may be the reason the disciple Matthew most often used the phrase "kingdom of heaven" instead of "kingdom of God" like the other gospel writers.
Now, don’t misunderstand. Faithful men and women throughout the Bible spoke the name of God. God is our Father and we should speak His name also. But we should never be casual or crass in doing so. I think we could all benefit from having a little of the Jewish people’s fear factor.
We should guard ourselves against using God’s name without respect or "in vain" as the Third Commandment says. “God” is not a stand-in for "Wow!” So how about your “fear factor?” Think about how you regard and reverence God. Check out the questions below and do a self-assessment.
Measure if you have an appropriate level of “fear of the Lord” by the way you answer the below questions.
1. Do you say the name of God casually? For example, “Oh Lord!” or “Oh my God!”
2. How do you feel when you hear someone say God’s name as profanity?
3. Do you consider the clothes you choose to wear to worship as an act of worship?
4. When someone else is leading in prayer, what or whom are you focused upon?
5. What times or places do you consider "sacred?"
6. Do the words you choose in everyday conversation reflect reverence for God?
7. Do your entertainment selections reveal that all of life is sacred?
8. Does your life demonstrate the character of God?
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