Proverbs 8: 12-15
"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;"
***
We hear it said all the time, that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; in addition to that, wisdom declares that the fear of the LORD also entails the "hatred of evil."
Pride, arrogance, perverted speech--all qualities of the devil; and also, major qualities of our idols here in America. We love that Dirty Harry, Muhammad Ali, Wolverine-type of hero who has a certain cocky arrogance, who takes pride in himself, who says whatever he wants and does whatever he wants. Something in us wants to be like that. I think that's why we love rock stars, it seems like they live outside the hum-drum civilian life the rest of us live in--it's like they're somehow free from all of that.
Don't get me wrong, I think Ali is the greatest, and I likes me my Wolverine; but we appreciate guys like that because underlying their arrogance and pride is a heart devoted to goodness and a heart for the people. However, I will make the case that the beloved dichotomy we find in our arrogant heroes is unbiblical, and we as Christ's disciples are not to pursue it, envy it, or strive for it.
The Scripture goes on to say that in wisdom there is insight and strength. Part of wisdom, as indicated earlier, is prudence for the simple, and sense for the fools. Yet our American heroes bear the banner that reads, "Go with your gut!" or, "Shoot first, ask question later" or, "Just do it." Not exactly the prudence that wisdom demands. We think the man holding the gun is strength, but the Bible says that wisdom is strength; and this wisdom is singular, meaning there is only one wisdom--not a plethora of cosmic wisdom which is up for you to pick and choose and decide what works for you.
By this singular wisdom, kings are to reign, and rulers are to do what is just. This one wisdom comes from only one source - the God revealed in the Bible.
Proverbs 8: 22-23 says,
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth."
If we go with what atheism and evolution tell us, the wisdom we have as humans exists only within us and our minds, and as a result of all our accumulated knowledge, history, and data throughout the years. This then logically leads to the notion that as time progresses, we'll get wiser and smarter, because more time + knowledge, history, and data will = more wisdom. It makes sense, almost. God tells us that everything was created in the wisdom of God, and this wisdom belongs to God, and it existed before the beginning of all creation.
This also does not mean that a portion of wisdom belongs to Zeus, and a portion of wisdom belongs to Krishna, and a portion of wisdom belongs to Buddha, and a portion of wisdom belongs to Joseph Smith, and a portion of wisdom belongs to the Tao, and a portion of wisdom belongs to Jesus;
it ALL belongs to Jesus!
It's by this wisdom that was there at creation, and was there at the cross, that we seek to live our lives by. Friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4); and so we have to be uncompromising in living our lives according to God's wisdom. And so, Bruce Lee, Ali, Wolvie, I won't idolize you. I don't want to be like you. Jesus, help me to be like You.
