Proverbs 14:6 Ambassadors and stand-up comedians

A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.

Proverbs 14:6 NASB

What a funny twist: one that seeks, doesn’t find, but the one who already has, gets more. It’s clear that in order to learn, understand, and gain wisdom, it’s much more than simply deciding I want it. The one who is assertive and expecting will often find that life delivers what he demands. But in this case, tsk, tsk, tsk… you are not qualified my dear. What a shock to him!

There is something about being a scoffer that disqualifies. I suppose the first question is, why would a scoffer seek wisdom in the first place? Maybe he has just read Management 101, or How to Get Ahead in Life Without Hardly Trying, or Being Big by Making Others Little. Maybe the authors said the fastest path to results is to learn from the pros — those that have achieved. The scoffer thinks, “Sure, I’ll give it a try, if those damned authors know what they are talking about. I highly doubt it, but hey, no skin off my nose.” Note the lack of humility. The desire for the easy path.

The Hebrew for scoffer is a primitive root literally meaning to make mouths at, like mimicking the sound of an unknown language, or to interpret a language. It’s the role of bridging a gap between people — but in its application can be positive, such as to intercede like an ambassador, or negative, to hold in derision or to mock, or scoff.

In life, the one who seeks, finds. One who asks, receives. One who knocks, the door opens. My conclusion? The scoffer is not seeking but rather, going through the motions through what he has learned by observing others. Scoffing takes no skill. It’s a trait which fundamentally dismisses another by imitating them, poking fun at them and ridiculing. He truly does not understand what he scoffs. He sets oneself up as the judge and arbiter and court jester. He doubts. He distances. Scoffing is like ice on the roadway to the rubber on humanity’s vehicle — nothing sticks. It’s an out of control vehicle waiting for gravity to stop it before impacting another vehicle. Inevitably, it strikes the other vehicles. For the scoffer to go through the motions of seeking wisdom and not finding is because there is really no expectation, or faith, to find anything. One must understand the way of wisdom. She does not travel the usual route. One can be a dolt and follow the instructions on a box and make a cake, or put together IKEA furniture. But wisdom is different. It requires a disposition of heart.

Faith —real faith—starts with a humbling of self and a respect for God. Faith begins its journey at the most horrid place—the place of the biggest injustice—the cross, and all that it means. Once I arrive there, anything can happen.

Wisdom costs but the scoffer is not willing to pay. When he seeks wisdom, he discovers that it,literally: is not there.

But for the one who has some understanding, or a seeing heart, knowledge is easy. From the Hebrew root meaning to make light. Literally; swift, small, or sharp. It’s not work. It comes naturally, like the wind on a hot day, or easily like carrying a pebble, or without much effort like a razor slicing an apple.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

Proverbs 9:9 NASB

Why is it easy? Because this one already has understanding: (from Briggs) To perceive with the senses; to understand and to know with the mind. He is already learning from an abundance of lessons constantly in front of him.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.

Psalms 19:1-2 NASB

When I was a young man in my faith, I had and an experience which emphasized the contrast which Solomon calls out in this proverb.

The backstory: When I was filled with the Holy Spirit it was an experience that helped me understand both ignorance and limitless understanding at the same time. This moment was my first dramatic and powerful encounter with God. On a Sunday evening as I was praying, I felt God as though he was a person standing next to me. I could not see Him with my eyes, but I was aware of His physical, tangible presence. I knew He was there without a doubt in my mind. It was a marvelous and emotional moment. To me it was like my Dad walked into the room and said, “Shh, shh, shhhh. I’m here. I’ve been with you all along. Now you see me. Do you recall all those doubts you have had over the years? Let them melt and evaporate. I’m with you, and always have been. Now I’m within you.” It’s interesting that the experience did not tell me more about Him, who He is, or what was on His mind. Instead, it showed me first how He loved me, but second, how limited my knowledge and awareness of His kingdom is. If someone has never experienced God like this, hearing a story like this would be almost as if they had heard of the deep jungles of the Amazon, but had never been there. The opportunity is available, the door is open, but they have never walked through it. Knowing something and experiencing it are two different things.

From this experience, I learned that “knowledge is (truly) easy.” There was an immediate effect afterwards that I noticed when I stood up from my time in prayer. I went to the seat where I place my freshly purchased Thompson Chain Reference Bible and I opened it and put my finger down on a verse — it landed in Corinthians. Everything I read came to life. It felt like understanding was flowing into me like a river. For fun, I poked around to different sections and experienced the same wherever I read. It was incredible. It… was easy. I felt an immediate and overall sense of wisdom and understanding. This experience was sharply juxtaposed with one I had a few weeks earlier when I desperately wanted to understand the Bible, so I picked up my mom’s old Catholic Bible with the archaic King James text, trying my best to read and understand. I could not. It took so much effort and, for nothing. What I read felt so foreign. It would have been easy to scoff at — all those men that “pisseth against a wall.” Then in a moment, my moment, life and light was pouring into my understanding — when I set scoffing aside and allowed Him to humble and fill me.

God never intended life, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, or even fun to be difficult. And with a heart and spirit that really wants wisdom, the lessons of heaven flow. It is easy. It’s natural. But it takes a child’s heart. Humble, open, and willing to set aside bias and scoffing.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7 NASB