Proverbs 8:12–14
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Wisdom can figure things out. Whereas millions of people can be led astray by the institutional systems of egalitarianism and socialism, only wisdom can discern the insidious evil in such designs—how such systems displace the law of God and corrupt the family. Hundreds of parents may be enthralled by the high levels of excellence found in some classical school that promises to prepare their children for a life of affluence in some socioeconomic system. But hardly one in a thousand can discern the fatal flaw in the program. If the school teaches Aristotelian rhetoric, then it incorporates a highly structured system that self-consciously neglects the two most critical elements for all human communication––meekness and the fear of God (1 Peter 3:15). From the perspective of godly wisdom, the Greeks built fatal flaws into their systems of knowledge.
Wisdom would utterly despise any school that neglects to teach humility and the fear of God. The sad fact is that education has separated the fear of God from science and history for many hundreds of years in Western “Christian” countries. This is what has constructed the secular states and has destroyed the faith in England, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Canada, and America. Few schools in this country advertise their intent to nurture the fear of God and humility into their students so as to avoid a “knowledge that puffs up”(1 Cor. 8:1). For one thing, the focus of most education today is not upon character but always upon the academics. How can teachers nurture the character of the students when they hardly know them? Or how can they even begin to address themselves to the character of the children, when they cannot kiss or hug them, or make faithful use of the rod?
True wisdom will reject anything which is defined as sinful by the law of God. Yet by nature our hearts are easily drawn to temptation and evil. It is natural for people to give way to pride, lust, loud, arrogant cursing, and gossip. If you walk with Wisdom, you will begin to love what she loves and hate what she hates.
1. Have you learned to hate that which is evil, or are you still attracted to the temptation of evil?
2. Are we emphasizing the fear of God and humility in our education? How might one provide a highly disciplined academic program without the students becoming proud and arrogant?