The Older We Get, The More We Realize

"The words of Agur son of Jakeh, the oracle.  The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.  Surely I am too stupid to be a man.  I have not the understanding of a man.  I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One." 

Proverbs 30:1-3

I can only believe that at this point the writer, whether it was King Solomon or someone else, was older--and wiser.  Wiser?  How can that be?  He just said that he was too stupid to be a man and had not learned wisdom.

Let's back up a bit in time.  Have you ever noticed (surely you have) how smart young children think they are, and how wise they become as they hit the teen years?  That wisdom seems to stretch all the way to adulthood,when suddenly some, if not most, begin to realize that mom and dad weren't so dumb after all.  If only they had listened, they might have avoided many of the traps they found themselves falling into.  The book of Proverbs was written to these not-so-wise children in the hopes that they would hear and be able to avoid those pitfalls.  

As we look at Proverbs 30 I believe we see, not a stupid man at all, but one who has realized how much he doesn't know, how much further he has to go before he has the understanding, wisdom and knowledge of God.  Why do I believe this?  Because he goes on in chapter 30 to give us great words of wisdom.  

A word of counsel to all who read, and a plea to my grandchildren:  Acknowledge those who are older, wiser and more experienced than you.  Listen and learn.  Don't wait until you are old to realize that mistakes are made through refusing to hear the wise counsel of those who have been through life already and know the pitfalls.  Again, LISTEN and LEARN!

The writer of this proverb went on to say in verse 5

"Every word of God proves true; 

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 

Two things--the wise counsel of those who have gone before us and the wisdom of the Word of God--are sufficient to shield us from the distractions of the world.   Oh, that we might hear!

Realizing my limitations,

Gloria