Proverbs 15:33 “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. “
Proverbs 17:27 “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.”
Proverbs 29:8 “Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.”
Proverbs 29:11 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
According to the book of Proverbs the wise man is one of impeccable character exemplified by the life of Christ that we read about in the Gospels. God is wanting to form us into the image of His Son. One of the most prominent characteristics of Christ is His humility. We read in Philippians 2 that “though being the very nature of God he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing; being made in the very nature of the servant; being made in the likeness of man He humbled Himself.”
How different from what we see today with the so-called wise men as they seek recognition in what they have achieved or done for the Lord. Jesus humbled himself and because of that he has been highly glorified and honored.
Another aspect of Christ and a wise man according to the book of Proverbs is that he is a self-controlled person. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. “ “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” How often in the heat of the battle or crisis the tendency is to lose our calm and we use words that we wish we could take back, but they have already gone out and have done the damage.
A wise man in the midst of the storms of life will not be a man of anxiety and confusion, but a man who has a calmness and peace around him. Why? Because his life is rooted in the fact of who God is. We see this with Jesus, as a man, walking here on earth in the midst of the accusations and going to the cross. We see Him as a man who has a tremendous calmness around Him and being able to say: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Also remember what He said to the disciple that He loved as well as his mother: “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:26-27) The influence that we can have is to have the same calmness in the midst of the confusion, shaking or terror that is gripping our nation as well as our world.
We are told to “be angry but sin not.” We do see the need for anger when it comes to some of the things that we see being done today. It is not an anger against a person, but an anger against ideas, philosophies and satanic bondage that is holding many in captivity. Jesus was calm, but when He walked into the temple and saw the money changers and what was being done we see a righteous anger bubbling up within Him when He saw the house of God being turned into something that was completely contrary to God’s ways.
Yes, a wise man, according to Proverbs, will not only be humble, but self-controlled. May God work these attributes into all of us!