The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
and with all your acquiring,
get understanding. 

Proverbs 4:7

This is a wonderful multi-generational passage from The Proverbs. Solomon opens up chapter four with his continued plea for his sons’ attention.

Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding, Proverbs 4:1

Then from verses 3-9 he takes a stroll down memory lane and shares with his sons what his father taught him. In other words, Solomon tells his sons what Kind David told him. (Our key verse is part of this quote from Kind David). Solomon also implores the affection of his sons’ grandmother, Bathsheba. It is sincere, it is insightful and it is compelling. 

It’s as if Solomon is hoping, maybe even imploring with his sons, “If you won’t listen to me, listen to your grandfather, please!” It is very probable that Solomon’s sons knew their grandfather, the king and their grandmother personally. There were a lot of fractions and disharmony in King David’s household, but I don’t think Solomon would invoke his parents on this subject of wisdom if his sons had a negative relationship with them. But, we can’t really know for sure. 

What we do know is that Solomon’s legacy from one generation to the next and next did not produce a string of wise kings. In fact, Solomon’s legacy is a divided kingdom (Israel and Judah) and a great deal of idolatry, sin and heartache for the Nation of Israel. 

Even with all that, God uses King Solomon and his father, King David in a “last ditch effort” to compel their heirs to do better than they did. They wanted the generations after them to attain wisdom and hold onto it, to guard it, to honor it and to live by it every single day. Each son and grandson and great-grandson and great-great-grandson had to choose for themselves on a personal level: live within God’s wisdom or rely on their own feeble human efforts.

A few did, the majority did not. 

Attaining godly wisdom is a conscious and deliberate choice that requires daily and moment by moment attention and application. Which choice will we make? Join the few or be swayed by the majority? I pray we will all choose as Joshua did…

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:15