A Word to the Wise- Life and Death
Proverbs 1:20-33
Sermon Recap
This week we explored one of Proverbs’ most sobering—and hopeful—claims: our choices are shaping us, and they are leading somewhere. Wisdom, in Proverbs, isn’t abstract knowledge or clever thinking; it’s learning how to live in a way that leads toward life. Folly isn’t just immoral or foolish behavior—it’s a way of moving through the world that quietly works against our own flourishing.
Over and over, Proverbs presents us with a choice between two paths: one that leads toward life, wholeness, and peace… and another that slowly leads toward harm, regret, and isolation. Not because God is waiting to punish us, but because life has a grain to it, and wisdom teaches us how to live with it rather than against it.
At the center of this choice is the heart—our desires, our habits, and the stories we tell ourselves about what will make us whole. Wisdom invites us to slow down, pay attention, and ask better questions about where our lives are actually headed.
---Go a Little Deeper
Proverbs often describes wisdom and folly not as single decisions, but as patterns over time.
One of the key Hebrew ideas behind “life” (ḥayyim) isn’t just biological existence—it’s vitality, fullness, and well-being. Likewise, “death” (māwet) in Proverbs frequently refers to a way of life that diminishes the soul long before the body stops breathing.
That’s why Proverbs can say things like:
· “The waywardness of the simple will kill them…” (Prov. 1:32)
· “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.” (Prov. 14:12)
The text assumes something deeply realistic about human life: we are often punished by our sin more than for our sin. In other words, destructive choices carry their own consequences. Wisdom isn’t about avoiding God’s anger; it’s about learning how to live in ways that align with God’s desire for life.
This helps reframe repentance—not as shame-driven fear, but as a hopeful turning toward what actually leads to life.
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Discussion Questions
When you hear Proverbs talk about “life” and “death,” what do you instinctively think it means? How did Sunday’s message expand or challenge that understanding?
Can you think of a time when a choice didn’t feel “wrong” in the moment but slowly led somewhere you didn’t want to go?
Proverbs suggests that our strongest desires are not always our deepest desires. Where do you see that tension showing up in your life right now?
What are some subtle ways we can make life harder than it has to be—relationally, financially, emotionally, or spiritually?
Where might wisdom be inviting you to slow down and pay attention before making a decision?
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Suggested Practice
Good Questions
Pastor Nick suggested 4 questions to ask when we need wisdom. What would Jesus do? What do I REALLY want? What would the future me want me to do? What would I say/want for them?
Spend some time thinking of some other good questions to ask when you need wisdom. Write them down and them put them somewhere you will see them often so you can use them when needed.
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Closing Prayer
God of life, You know how easily we rush, react, and choose without thinking. Teach us to slow down long enough to notice where our lives are headed.
Give us wisdom—not just to avoid what is harmful, but to desire what leads to life. Shape our hearts so that our deepest wants begin to line up with your goodness.
When we’ve been walking a path that leads away from life, meet us not with shame, but with grace— and gently turn us back toward what is whole and true.
Amen.