Smart, that’s an old English word for intelligence and good judgment. We need to get smart—not the movie or the TV show character, but the fundamental teaching available through God’s word in the Bible.

Basic “smarts” is another way of describing the dynamic combination of knowledge and understanding. Unfortunately, some people are short on knowledge due to lack of schooling or by choice. But most people possess even less understanding—which is how and why the bits of knowledge fit together.

But because you are a vertical thinker who seeks to think like Jesus Christ and God the Father, you need a generous helping of the other vital ingredient of advanced smarts:  wisdom. Not “wise guy” cleverness, but true, godly wisdom based upon and defined by God’s Word.

- Where does true knowledge originate?  Proverbs 1:7

- Where does understanding and especially true wisdom come from?  Proverbs 9:10

- Now, what kind of knowledge and “understanding” would typically be taught in modern schools and universities? Would it be based on God’s Word? What is the basic (and increasingly more militant) premise about God that the vast majority of this world’s educational systems teach?

- Compare your relationship with God and His Word with the world’s wisdom or smarts. On its own, will the world find world peace (not to mention spiritual salvation)?  Isaiah 59:8

- From the Garden of Eden forward, why has mankind apart from God gone so far astray from true wisdom?  Ephesians 2:1-3

This VT Sabbath focus is centered on Proverbs 8. Read the chapter and make a list of the positive qualities of God’s wisdom.  Focus on verses 5-8, 12-14 and 18-21. Marvel at how starting in verse 22 the final section extols the beauty of God’s wisdom.  Study it and you will certainly get smart!