When the Bible Is Super Practical: Proverbs 8:1-36

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a

couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in

practical ways. Good morning morning. I was hoping the talk

the whole not through good morning, good morning? Do you? Yes?

All right?

Love it? The coming in you're the percussion.

There we go. Yes, well, I was trying to do

that like the tap dancing.

But oh oh I see, I see, I see.

Percussion is good?

Well, I mean, isn't tap dancing?

Sure? Absolutely? Yes?

Okay, well, hey, good morning everybody.

I was just hoping, just I was hoping, beyond hope

that today was the day you would sing.

To us us that's funny. Hey, well, we are the

Bible guys. We want to welcome you here, and we

are starting off a segment called guess the word Yes.

And so this is very similar to if you know

the game the party game Taboo. Yes, It's very similar

to that, where there is a word that I want

you to guess, but there are five words I cannot

say to get you to guess that.

Man, if you happen to be watching on video instead

of just listening, we are going to hopefully put the

words that Jeff cannot say, on the screen right here,

so that you can play at home.

That's right. And if you're playing at home and you're watching,

every correct answer you get is worth a point.

If your point.

If you're listening, if you're listening on the podcast and

you cannot see those words, every quick answer gets worth

ten thousand points.

So that would you know what that would make me do?

That would make me hit pause on the video and

then go look it up on Spotify, Okay, because I

want to score more points?

You want more points?

Yeah, there you go. Because you're a winner, Chris, I'm

a winner.

Okay. So here's the first one. Right, I'm going to

give Chris close to see. But you can guess the

bold keyword. I'm not allowed to say any of the

italicized words on my sheet here.

Dog on people like me? Okay, good, they do, they do?

Okay. It's the noise okay that a tom makes to

get the attention of a hen. That are what makes

Tom makes to get the attention of a hen.

Cluck?

Oh almost, it's a different.

Oh, it's a thing, gobble, gobble. There you go.

Correct. That was a lot to say, eat turkey food

or devour?

What the heck? Is a tom.

That's the male turkey.

So you know this because you're a hunter.

I thought people knew this. Yeah, I thought people knew

that is that a hunting thing? When you were a kid,

didn't you have to make like turkey things outline your hand,

make a.

Turkey and they call it you know what, they call

it turkeys?

Yeah? Okay, okay, yeah, I guess maybe I grew up.

I grew up on a you know, on a homestead,

and we had I don't know, I don't know. I

just thought everybody knew that a tom is that.

I'm just wondering if it's a hunting thing.

So so a male turkey that has not is not old,

have to breed yet, he doesn't have a big beard yet. Yeah,

that he's called a jake. And then when he's able

to breed, he grows a longer beard and he's called

a tom.

You could have threatened me with death and I wouldn't

have known it.

Okay, okay, congratulations. You got to gobble. That was that

was the important thing.

Because that was like cluck and you were like a

different bird, and I was like, what are you talking about?

I was like, oh, it's a Thanks gobbling. Yeah, gotcha.

I was just in the woods a couple weeks ago

and the turkeys were gobbling like crazy. That's yeah, it

was really neat. Okay. This next one is when the

king sits down at his giant table. He's sitting down

for a feast. That is correct. I wasn't allowed to

say Thanksgiving, food, eat, banquet, or famine.

Oh wow?

Okay. Uh. These people were the original Europeans that came

to America, you were correct. Pilgrims, progress, Plymouth, Mayflower, Indians,

and travelers. Those are the words I was not allowed

to use.

Wow.

Yeah, that was a tough one. Okay, this one's difficult.

Okay.

So when you have meat, No, when you have meat cooking, oh,

I'm not allowed to say cook.

Oh okay, okay.

When you have meat in the oven and you don't

want it to dry out, you pull it out and

you put more liquid on it based it. There you go. Yes, yes,

I wasn't allowed to say cook.

I just lost ten thousand, lost ten thousand.

Wait a minute, I'm reading it, so it's only one point.

Oh that's true. That's true. And we're on video.

Yeah there, we got my video. Yeah, I saw myself

a video. Excellent. Okay, and here's the last one. Those

original Europeans arrived.

In the United States.

No, no, what did they ride on?

Horses?

Know when they came across the water.

There's the mayflower. There you go the mayflower.

You should Yes, well I could and say ship, pilgrims,

flower Atlantic or voyage.

Oh you could have said sale, sled.

Oh I could have said sailed.

Yeah, yeah, okay, Yeah, I'm like horses, you're not across

the water. Goofball, dumb dum.

Okay, they go gobble feast, pilgrims, based and mayflower were

the words. Okay, congratulations Chris. Yes, and I'm sorry for

blowing it on based.

Yeah, well you know I've done that a time or

two as well.

Okay, riveting, riveting, segment, riveting, riveting.

Everybody is on the edge of their seat.

And I'm sure we have a few of our of

our listeners, they have ten thousand points or five thousand,

five thousand points, fifty thousand. We gave ten thousand points, apiece, Yeah,

fifty thousand, I bitch, we got people got fifty thousand points.

Do you think so?

Yeah? Our viewers somebody got five Congratulations.

Somebody's in Tanzania right now. They're like fifty changed its

changes in check e Cheese.

That's right, you just you used to work at check

E Cheese.

Yeah. You bring all the all the tickets in and

then you get a Frisbee exactly.

I remember being so disappointed after having what I thought

was a good jillion tickets and go up and go, okay,

here's the section that you can pick from. I'm like,

I want that TV. No, you get these.

You get this top David Butchers, which is an adult

chucky cheese. You know, you build it up on that card,

you know, and it feels like forever. You can just

even save the card. And they're like, you have fourteen

thousand points. You're like what And you walk in there

and you're like and you look at the top shop

and it goes and it says it's like three hundred

thousand points, and you're like what.

Right, okay, So for your fourteen thousand, you can order

out of this box right here. You can get this

pez Dispenser, right, you can get this fen put a

squiggly head on.

It, which includes the chick lits, just not including the erasers.

Yep, Okay. So anyways, that's.

A movie quote. Oh really, nineteen seventy nine. Oh wow,

it is Martin In, the jerk, the jerk, he says,

step right up and win some crap.

He says. I went and saw Steve Martin and Martin

Short at the Fox Theater a couple weeks ago. What

it was amazing?

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it. They came and

went and.

I they were here, Bonnie and I sat like on

the eighth row in the center. Okay, it was amazing.

There is never fund.

A time were you ever attended anything where I've been

more jealous ever.

They were circles. So you got these two guys, you know,

Steve Martin seventy nine, Martin Shorts seventy four. The energy,

the humor, the physical comedy that they did for two

hours was unbelievable.

Are they still here?

No, they were only here for two nights.

I am angry at myself.

Well they told me, they said. Marty says, hey, don't

tell Zarball we're here.

Is what he says.

Like, Oh okay, Marty.

Yeah, Marty and I go back to ways, all the

way back to innerspace.

Yeah, he said. And Steve Martin had to say, well,

the last time, it just got weird. I said, okay,

I won't tell our prother you guys, so it was

a secret. That's only only only like ten thousand other

people knew that they.

Were here, and that'll be the last time he's on tour.

I'm sure I don't know. They're touring every every year.

So here we go.

Anyways, I would consider, by the way, traveling to another city.

I would drive all the Chicago to see them.

Well, they're on a tour.

I can't believe I missed them. I'm so angry, sorry

about that.

Okay. So Proverbs chapter eight, Chapter eight, this is now, Uh,

Solomon is writing, by the way, Jeff, as if Wisdom

is talking.

You were so clever in giving those answers and so,

but not as clever as Solomon is, who was about

to give us advice.

Oh there you go, Yes, man, that was a good one, Chris,

thank you, good transition, promise the listeners. So clever, because

the reason why it's clever is because he's writing as

if Wisdom is speaking to his children. You know, sometimes,

which is clever on top of clever, it's super clever, clever, clever,

it's it's cleverly clever.

Yes, So.

Sometimes kids can't hear their parents' voice. It just sounds

like Charlie Brown's teacher, right. But isn't it amazing that

if a kid has a coach or a teacher or

somebody that they really like, all of a sudden, that

coach or teacher can say the same thing mom and

dad says, and now, all of a sudden, it's the

smartest thing they've ever heard in their life. So Solomon

is kind of using that ploy. He's using a third person,

he's using wisdom itself to speak to his children. And

it's very clever. Which is just a wise thing for

moms and dads to get some good adult allies that

you can trust, get a good youth pastor get good

coaches and align with them and say, hey, I need you.

My son really likes you. Make sure you reinforce this

idea that we're working on at home, you know. And

so anyways, so he says in proverb chapter eight, listen

as wisdom calls out here, as understanding raises her voice

on the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand

at the crossroads by the gates at the entrance to

the town. On the road. Leading in, she cries aloud.

I call to you, to all of you. I raise

my voice to all people. You simple people, use good judgment,

You foolish people, show some understanding. Listen to me, for

I have important things to tell you. Everything I say

is right, for I speak the truth and to test

every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is

nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain

to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. Choose

my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you

desire can compare with it. I wisdom live together with

good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore I

hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. Common sense

and success belong to me. Insight and strength their mind

because of me. King's reign and rulers make just decrees.

Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.

I love all who love me. Those who search will

surely find me. I have riches and honor as well

as enduring wealth and justice. My gifts are better than gold,

even the purest gold, and my wages are better than

sterling silver. I walk in righteousness and paths of justice.

Those who love me inherit wealth, I will find their treasuries.

I will fill their treasuries. The Lord formed me from

the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed

in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began.

I was born before the oceans were created, before the

springs bubbled forth their waters, before the mountains were formed,

before the hills. I was born before he had made

the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.

I was there when he established the heavens, and when

he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there

when he set the clouds above, and when he established

springs deep in the earth. I was there when he

set the limits of the seas so they would not

spread beyond their boundaries, And when he marked off the

Earth's foundations. I was the architect at his side. I

was as constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And

how happy I was with the world he created. How

I rejoice with the human family, and so my children

listen to me. For all who follow my ways are joyful.

Listen to my instruction and be wise, don't ignore it.

Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me

daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home.

For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from

the Lord. But those who miss me injure themselves. All

who hate me love death.

Wow. When I think of wisdom, and I've often, you know,

been pretty fascinated that Solomon talks about wisdom from the

standpoint that you know, it's a she. But when I

think of wisdom in my mind, I always think of

this chapter. I I've always been fascinated with the visual

aids of like, you know, this ancient being who was

there before the world's began, which, of course is God.

God is the one who existed before the earth was form. Right,

God is the one who existed from all eternity past.

But God had wisdom, So what so.

What is wisdom?

God is wisdom of course, yes, of course, and and

uh and he has wisdom and his wisdom, and he

has love and his love. But anyway he uh uh

so anyway when when but wisdom talking as a person says,

I was here long before you know the earth was created.

All of a sudden, you try to picture wisdom as

this ancient being, you know, and and and all of

a sudden, now you think, okay, if wisdom is obtainable,

because obviously it is right and he's saying, obtain it,

obtain me and uh and guess what I'm worth more

than gold and rubies and sterling silver, and uh and

and guess what I've been around. It makes you feel

like you're tapping into this this this magical thing. But

then you have to think about it like that's the

same with God in us, right, right, right? Have you

ever heard Francis Chan one time gave a message and

he talked about how he' said, man, when I get

to heaven, he goes, I'm going to go up to

Moses and he's and I'm going to say to Moses, man,

tell me what it was like. What was it like

to see and talk to God in the form of

a burning bush? That must have been incredible. And Moses

is going to look back at you and say, yeah,

it was really cool. But let me ask you a question.

What was it like to have God inside of you?

Like the power of God within you, to be able

to tap into the power of Christ who lived inside

of you. Because let me tell you something, I didn't

have that. I remember thinking like, okay, that's a cool thought, right,

And so you know, I get fascinated with this whole

ancient being before the foundations of the world. I'm thinking, oh, wait,

that's what we have every day God, that's God in us, right,

we have access to the God's wisdom. And they're crazy.

And he's establishing the fact that wisdom is not situational

and it's not cultural. Right, that that it predates humanity,

it predates godly wisdom. That is not a situational thing

to go all. Well, back in old fashioned times, that's

what they believed.

But now, well that's a really good point because people

say certain values are outdated and culture.

Right, So God's wisdom is transcends all cultures in all ages.

I think that's That's what I'm trying to say. So,

sure there are cultural things. Should we wear robes or

should we wear pants? Right? That that that's a cultural thing,

that's not a wisdom. I don't know, if it's really hot,

maybe that robe again, But you know, some of those things.

Would you prefer hummus or potato or French fries? Right

that that's just a cultural thing, and so sure, those

things change. But when it comes to the wisdom of

the ages, how to live your life, how to manage money,

how to navigate relationships, how the idea that integrity and

right live an honesty will always build a society, and

corruption and violence and evil will always tear down a society.

Those things, those are pre established before the foundation of

the world, and they don't change. It's not like, oh,

that's an old fashioned idea. It doesn't. I don't know why,

but I was just I just read a thing here recently.

There's over one hundred thousand laws in America, and yet

it seems like everybody who runs for office has a

new law they want to bring. Is that what we need?

We need more laws, really, And it's kind of the

same way with regard to every generation thinks that they're

wiser than the last generation. And while they may have

more information or while they have more technology, I don't

know that every generation is more wise, right, And so

getting back to those foundational ideas of how to live,

I think that's one of the reasons why he highlights

so long that wisdom existed before anything else did.

Yeah, I love how I love how Solomon is describing

how to recognize good wisdom. Right, and so he says,

for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception.

So if you're wondering whether or not when you hear

a piece of advice, whether it's wisdom, then ask yourself, Okay,

you know, is this other piece of advice that my

friend is giving me doesn't involve any type of deception?

You know, because I mean that is a that is

a telling thing. Sometimes we think because something is clever, right,

you know that maybe it's wisdom, and just because it's clever,

if it involves deception of any kind, then it's it's

definitely not wholesome. Because he said, my advice is wholesome

the very next verse and verse eight, and there's nothing

devious or crooked in it my words. And then listen

to this. My words are plain to anyone with understanding,

clear to those with knowledge. So so in other words,

anybody who has basic understanding can recognize wisdom, is what

he's saying. So I think it's you know, have you

ever been talking with somebody and somebody would tell you

you already know the right thing to do. You've probably

said that to somebody to absolutely like you already know

the right answer. Right, I'm just I'm just here to

remind you. And that's really what Solomon is saying. Solomon

is saying, like you could recognize with them as soon

as you hear it, you already know the right thing.

Well, so I'm reminded in that verse nine, my words

are playing to anyone with understanding. I'm reminded. There's another

proverb worrier. Solomon says, in a multitude of words, there's

no shortage of sin, And it makes me think of

our extraordinarily litigious society today. My wife and I just

closed on a new home, and we signed how many

goajillion documents? Right? Most of them? Most of the documents

I signed were full of so many words that created

so many loopholes for the lending agency to get out

of the situation, to give them more control and take

control away from me. That's most of it. Or to

where nobody else is responsible except me for all these things.

Right, the more.

Words it takes to get a thing done, the less

likely it is that it has integrity. In it, right, right.

So I had a friend we were going to write

up a contract to do a project with somebody, and

so I wrote up an MoU and it had like

eight big ideas and then we refined it a little bit,

but it was eight things that we were agreeing to

work on. And then somebody goes, oh, that needs to

go to the attorneys. The attorneys need to look at it.

The attorneys came back and what was one page, and

very crystal clear, they came back with eighteen pages eighteen

one page, eighteen pages. So then, you know, I'm a

little bit of a lawyer in my head. I argue words.

You know, we joke about that I've got this thing.

Why would I say this thing in four sentences when

I could have said it in one sentence?

Right?

So I started critiquing. The lawyer got a little upset

with me, and I said, don't these three paragraphs say

the same thing as this one sentence? And he goes, yes,

but this gives you more outs. So oh, so I'm

writing this for loopholes for me, as opposed to two

people having some integrity and coming in and seeing the

plain words. I said, So, if I don't have your

three paragraphs and I only have that one sentence. So

are you saying I can't protect myself with that one sentence?

And he goes, no, No, it means the same thing.

I said, Well, then why do we need to And

so I refuse the eighteen page document because more words

just creates more fights. Let's be simpler and make sure

that we're in clarity. I'm not saying you shouldn't sign contracts.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't protect yourself. I'm not,

but because not everybody's honest and integrity, But if you're

working with somebody that has honesty and integrity, I think

simply written words. The more words somebody else puts on

a page, the more diligent you have to be to

read and understand those words. That's what I'm trying to say. Yeah,

because usually somebody's trying to shoot a move with the

more words they have on there.

Well, you know when Apple comes out with an update

and it says you can't download this new software without signing,

and it says read and sign, and you're literally going

you literally have to scroll the whole page.

Like nine times, we own you and your children and

right everything that you think now is our property.

So what percentage of the population who sign.

It read it? They don't that many people, right.

Yeah, there may be a dozen people in the world

that actually sit down and read that. Because my guess is,

if you read it and you actually understand it, you

probably wouldn't sign it.

You know, there was a time when a man's word

was his bond, when a handshake would really get business

done and two men standing. My dad grew up. It's

so funny. I think of old time business being done

over the pickle barrel because there was a general store

picklebar Yeah, well, there was a general store in our

community that all the old farmers in our community would

go down and they had they made sandwiches behind the counter,

and there was a general store and they had two

pickle barrels that had checkers boards on the thing. They

man to sit around play checkers and do business and

it was like a daily thing and they would work

it out. Hey, so you plant the hay this year,

and we'll plant the alfalfa. He's going to raise the cows,

and they're going to plant the corn. And they would

kind of work out all of this and everything we've

done by a handshake. Yeah, sure, I'll loan you my tractor,

and in the meantime, I'm going to need to borrow

your hay Baylor. Right, And they would just do everything

with a handshake. And it's because they trusted each other,

They went to church together, they knew each other well,

they didn't take advantage of each other and understood that

society requires that people keep their word. And then we

get into a litigious society where the expectation the longer

the contracts are, the less society believes that keeping our

word is essential. Right. As a matter of fact, the

reality is, you sign those contracts and you know, you know,

I signed a lease on a car a while back,

and the guy behind the count he said, you know,

these things aren't worth the paper they're written on. You

can get out of it, so can we? Well, then

why did I just sign twenty two pages?

Right?

It's because we're currently living in a society doesn't believe

in the value of the word. And I just think

that there's something to that that godly men and women

should be people of their word. You say a thing,

you should follow through on that thing, Well.

Sure r yeah, Well, I mean James says, let your

yesp yes, and you.

Know b no yeah, yeah exactly. That's what godly people do.

That's kind of the advice he's giving here is be

really careful if people use too many words or whatever.

So, yeah, that's great, all righty. Wisdom is uh is

the essence of who God is. Yeah right, absolutely so,

and let's recognize it and when we see it, let's

hang on to it more than we crave gold or riches.

Wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire

can compare with it.

That's awesome.

All right.

Well, that's a good wrap up and we will see

you next time, hopefully on the Bible Gush