What does Proverbs 4:8 mean?
A life without wisdom can lead to shame, dishonor, regret, and misery, but setting a high value on wisdom and embracing it leads to exaltation and honor. In the context of the book of Proverbs, wisdom means an ability to live according to godly principles. Although wisdom is a gift from God, He gives it only to those who prize it, cherish His Word, and ask for it. This continues the lesson of wisdom which Solomon remembers hearing from his father, David (Proverbs 4:3).First Samuel 2:30 quotes the Lord as saying, "Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed." Jesus serves as the best example of honoring the Lord and receiving honor from Him. Philippians 2:7–8 describes how Jesus, the Son of God, emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant, and as a man humbled Himself and obeyed the Father by dying on a cross. As a result, "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9) God also honors those who follow in the steps of the Savior, putting their faith in Him and living lives of obedience to God, by granting crowns and the privilege of reigning with Christ in His future kingdom.
Proverbs 4:1–9 looks back on Solomon's childhood and the wise instruction he received from his father David. He rehearses that instruction and passes it along to his young students. Echoing David, Solomon credits wisdom with the power to protect, honor, and grace the life of whoever acquires it. ''Wisdom,'' used in these passages, means the ability to act according to godly knowledge.
Common for the first nine chapters of Proverbs, Solomon urges his sons—possibly also other students—to listen to his words. He recalls his early years, when he heard some of these words from his father, David. Wisdom is upheld as the most beneficial thing a person can acquire in life. It brings honor and safety. In contrast, the wicked are perpetual wrongdoers whose goal is to lead others astray. They live for wickedness and violence, and they stumble in the darkness. Solomon urges his sons not to deviate from the path of godly wisdom, either ''to the right or to the left.''
