Keep Pursuing Knowledge

Proverbs 19:2, 20, 27

The older you get the more wisdom, knowledge and understanding a person should have. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. I turned fifty this year. By today's standard that is not old. At least I would like to think so. But as I do age I've noticed a trend, a tendency, a pull to slow down, lose some eagerness and drive. We tend to think we are on the "down side", the "final stretch", "over the hill". 

This slowing down is not always bad. After all we are told a man of knowledge and understanding shows restraint and is even tempered (17:27). With age we do learn when to act and when to be patient. This is not the kind of "slow down" I've noticed. There seems to be a trend, especially among men, to think we've arrived, or at least we have enough knowledge and experience to complete the journey and be successful. There is a subtle attitude of pride, self sufficiency and perhaps laziness that sets in. We don't have the energy we once had and we are quick to use the excuse that we don't have as many brain cells as a twenty year old. The outcome is that we stop growing, learning and listening. We don't seek advice and counsel. We cease pressing for new knowledge, insight and understanding. Read a book...unnecessary, too busy. Memorize, study, think...too much work.

Wisdom is coupled with understanding and knowledge. Seek one and you get the others. Leave one out and you will have none. "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise" (19:20). "Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge" (19:27).

Maybe you still have spunk and energy as you've aged. You are busy, busy, busy. Doing, working, striving. You've accomplished a lot. You know a lot. Beware, don't get self reliant. Don't think that you've arrived. We are warned, "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor be hasty and miss the way" (19:2).

Keep pursuing knowledge no matter where you are at in life. "Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning" (9:9). Do you want to learn more? Look up, study and apply the truths about knowledge in these verses (1:7-8; 2:1-6; 8:12; 9:8-11; 10:14; 15:7; 18:27). "Wise men store up knowledge" (10:14). Keep learning!