G'day friends, it's Pastor Joe here from the Helping You Become podcast. Today, we delved into Proverbs chapter 1, verses 1-7 from the Amplified Bible, continuing our study on prevailing Proverbs—God's wisdom shaping our hearts and minds.

We began with a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us into deeper truths, building our foundation on the rock of God's Word to withstand life's storms.

The Proverbs aim to impart skillful, godly wisdom, instruction, understanding, and insight. They teach wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and integrity. Specifically, prudence is given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth.

I'm deeply concerned for the next generation. God's wisdom is open to all society, especially those who don't naturally grasp it. No one should be left behind in learning it. Starting early is advantageous—the earlier, the better.

Drawing from my wife Linda's four decades as a renowned school teacher and leader in explicit direct instruction, we discussed early learning benefits. She highlighted:

• Brain development: The first years are crucial; stimulating experiences boost cognitive skills like language, memory, and problem-solving, setting up lifelong positive outcomes.
• Social and emotional growth: Kids learn integration, independence, and confidence.
• Academic readiness: They're smarter younger.
• Positive societal impact: Clever children lead to long-term successes and stronger foundations for lifelong learning.

This ties into verse 6: People understanding proverbs, figures of speech, enigmas, and wise words. It infers a probing, divinely inspired inquisitiveness into how life works from God's view—fabulous if instilled young!

Verse 5: The wise hear and increase learning; the understanding acquire skill and sound counsel to steer rightly. What we hear shapes feelings, beliefs, and futures. Faith comes by hearing God's Word (Romans 10:17); fear from not. Who/what we've believed got us here; who/what we investigate, trust, and act on takes us forward. What we receive, we become (John 1:12).

Gravitate to extraordinary people; pursue greatness—influence affects affluence; increase via association.

A key lesson from Proverbs: Stay teachable! It's echoed throughout. While teachable, we remain reachable (thanks, Dr Mike Murdock). Readiness to learn is critical for success.

Verse 6 emphasises digging deeper—nothing is as it appears; evil hides truths. God hides things for us. Investigation precedes increase; research precedes revelation.

From Genesis 1: Creativity births things; routine manages them. Discovery locates options; concentration eliminates; focus develops; action uses; stewardship protects—all in creation's order.

Verse 7: The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord is knowledge's beginning, principle, choice part, starting point, and essence. Without it, we go nowhere. It fosters correct attitude: He is God, omnipotent, holy; we are not, but graced by Him. Reverence before revelation; worship before wisdom.

Knowledge focuses on correct understandings (life, world, relationships); wisdom on skillful application. There's a learning curve—start early for better families, workplaces, communities, nations.

But fools despise wisdom, instruction, discipline. Fools are dangerous; their damage catastrophic. I've seen it firsthand, burying nephews due to foolish choices like drunk driving.

This sets the scene: Pathways of wisdom, righteousness, knowledge, fear of the Lord vs. evil, folly, scoffing, disobedience.