2:1-5 Our pursuit of God's word must be absolute. When out intentions are wholeheartedly determined we will receive wisdom previously unattainable. But we must search for God's philosophy in life as though searching for treasure. With excitement and hope and determination. God wants us to make righteousness the act and pursuit of our lives. Above all things, He wants us to search for His answer, His opinion, His choice in all that we do. When we search assiduously, we will find Him and His wisdom.
2:6-9 God ensures that those who seek do inevitably find. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding. In other words, He teaches us about life: it's origins, its course, its purpose, its nature. He teaches us how to retain, cultivate, restore and inspire life in our day to day. He stores those treasures for those who seek them, who will value them and wear the treasures of their faith as a crown.
Those on righteous pursuits have the protection of God along their journey. They have the support and preservation of God. As we continue to walk along God's paths of righteousness, we continue to receive abundant blessing from Him.
2:10-11 God teaches us the purpose and meaning of life and when our heart is in accordance with His we are given further gifts. The gift of discernment helps us to make the decisions that set up future blessings. Discernment helps us to choose what and who to allow into our lives as fixtures and influences. Understanding given by God helps to keep us in good places. For when we understand the whole, it is much easier to operate within it.
2:12 There are people and even emotions in us that could derail us from the path of righteousness. Humans so easily succumb to acts of jealousy, revenge, anger and selfishness. But when we have our ear fixed on God's instructions, He is able to lead us away from those temptations and distractions.
2:13-19 Proverbs wants us to be wholly aware that we could be derailed... but only if we take our eyes and ears off of our guidepost: God. Evil may not be out intention, but we could get caught up with people whose intentions are. We are all susceptible to influence, knowing that, we should be extra vigilant to remain within the influence of God. It should be His opinion and favor that we seek. It should be His lead that we follow. It should be His voice that we listen to... even when it seems like other voices are louder and more immediate. Proverbs, as it continues, will help us to recognize those moments when raucous noise attempts to lead us astray.
It is a waste of life to live a selfish, greedy, or angry life. An evil life is ended swiftly and permanently by God. He wants us to be conscious of how our choices change the beat and length of our lives.
2:22 Eventually evil will be uprooted... no longer sustained by God's magnificent creation. Erased. Forever. God wants us to have life and to enjoy it. To have life and to keep it. The book of Proverbs teaches us how to do that.
