Proverbs 8:17 Commentary and Bible Study

These are wonderful promises of God, and this is an insight into the way of wisdom. We like to use this text as an encouragement to the young, but it is not strictly what it is referring to: ‘those that seek me early [in life] shall find me.’ That sentiment is uttered often in the Book of Proverbs, so the meaning is true, but here the Hebrew word ‘early’ originally meant ‘at the break of day’, ‘at the dawn’. What it really means is those who put me before anything else. It is more a statement of priorities than a statement of time. The meaning is that those who make the wisdom of God their priority will be the ones who make progress.The picture behind these words is that of a master and their pupil, or a parent teaching a child. Wisdom that is being described here, and everybody knows that if somebody is a professional teacher, the students are divided into those who are somewhat grudging in the pursuit of their work, and others who are perhaps rather slow and laborious, and then there are those who are unusually adept and gifted, and even enthusiastic and hard working. Naturally, the heart of the teacher goes to those who are most interested and the most diligent, and who put in the most effort. They draw out the respect and to some degree the affection and sympathy of the instructor, and therefore they get much more out of it. The instructor is on their side urging them on, encouraging them, giving them the best of his attention.And wisdom is like that. You begin to appreciate divine wisdom and understanding. ‘Who is God? What is he like? What are his purposes? What is the meaning of life?’ You begin to understand the things that God teaches those who come to him, and here is a most marvellous effect of wisdom: it somehow picks you up, and draws you on. It is rather like the old saying money makes money. Wisdom makes wisdom. Somebody who gets this awareness of life and spiritual things makes very rapid progress. The wisdom of God encourages her pupils.Of course, this does apply to children also. We think of them as simple-minded and fickle, and easily distracted, rushing after whatever they want at this present minute. But the Scripture says, ‘No, an adult if he seeks wisdom will find it and receive it, and even a little child who seeks the Lord and the wisdom of the word will be given wonderful shrewdness by the Lord. Even a little child can see through the world and wrong things.