Proverbs 19 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are of much more value than wealth or fame.. over and over Solomon has made this point.. yet it was not enough for him to stay faithful to the Lord all of his days.  Nor did his son, Rehoboam, gain from the wisdom of his father.. for his first act as king of Israel was foolish.. rejecting the counsel of the elders and choosing the bad counsel of his friends.  It is somewhat ironic and so sad that they forsook the wisdom of God and lost all that He would have given them. 

Nevertheless, we can learn from these truths and gain knowledge and understanding that will help us live in ways that please God. " He who gains wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good." (v8) And so, we continue to have "ears to hear" the Word of the Lord.. earnestly seeking wisdom.. earnestly following Jesus Christ who is the Wisdom of God.. who came in the flesh to live out these truths.. "something greater than Solomon is here" Jesus taught.. ( Matthew 12:42)  It is Christ Jesus who is our "way"; our "truth".. and our "life".. Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Proverbs 19 admonishes us to gain knowledge (v2) .. to have discretion (v11).. to be gracious to the poor..(v17) to" listen to counsel and accept discipline.." (v20);  and to "fear the Lord" which "leads to life".  (V23) To "cease listening.. to discipline"  will cause us to "stray from the words of knowledge". (v27)

It is important to know that "discipline" is more than just correction.. it means instruction, doctrine, restraint.. it is a check on wrong behavior and a training in right living.  Sometimes that can be a simple adjustment.. like when you are teaching a child to tie his shoe and you show him a step that he is missing.. Sometimes it is a major correction, like when a father stops his child from being unkind.. from being a bully.. from causing harm to another.  It is not just punishment.. although that is necessary at times.  Discipline includes all that the Word of the Lord teaches.. how to love and forgive.. to be kind and generous.. to do good and not evil. When we follow Jesus we listen to His training - all of His Words... accepting His discipline and counsel.. and it is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

Father in heaven, may our ears be ears that hear.. that heed Your Word and accept Your discipline, that we might gain knowledge and have wisdom and understanding.  Thank You for the Spirit of wisdom who writes Your Words on our hearts and in our minds.  Fill us Spirit of God!  We ask this in Jesus' name. amen.