Proverbs Chapter 4: The Supreme Guide

There are two sections in this chapter and two specific points came to me.

One:
v7:  "The beginning of wisdom is:  get wisdom at the cost of all you have, get understanding."   In my mind you can learn (get) anything.  Whether or not you choose to use the learning, or apply it is a choice.  However, understanding comes with life's experiences, with application of what you learned.  Mostly, understanding comes with life's lessons of hardship that create wounds on your heart and soul.  As the wounds heal and scars form, understanding deepens and grows.  Understanding continues to expand as the same life's lessons occur for other people in your life, especially if you choose to assist them on their journey of understanding.  

Today's word to study is the same word defined the other day, "didactic" - used to describe someone or something that tries to teach something (such as proper or moral behavior) in a way that is annoying or unwanted.  Hardships, grief, and trouble in your life are unwanted.

My life's lessons have included illness and death of both of my parents.  My parents were good teachers, and they taught us wisdom, but the understanding that came with the scars on my heart and soul via their deaths were unwanted.  So, this brings up a question about verses 8-9:  Since these are lessons we do not really want to learn - what is the crown?  Thankfully, the answer was already described in Chapter 3:  Long life, peace, sweet rest, which by the way, the evil do not get (for they cannot rest unless they have done evil; to have made no one stumble steals away their sleep.) (16)

Two:

The second primary thought about this chapter is to shun evil:  Verses 15-19:  Shun evil people as they are wicked and violent.  So why is it that our society today considers violence and evil as entertainment?  Violent serial TV shows, violent movies about evil people, violent games children play on their electronic toys and violence on the news are things that people view during their times when they want to relax,have fun and rest.  My vote is to go with the direction provided in verse 15:  "Shun it, cross it not, turn aside from it, and pass on."