The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death. Proverbs 13:14 WEB

The majority of the writings in the Book of Proverbs come from Solomon. It is most likely that he penned these words as well. Whoever wrote the text, its author describes the teaching of the wise as a spring of life. Ignoring the wisdom of the word of God, we leave ourselves vulnerable to eternal and worldly consequences.

A spring is a natural opening in the ground that flows with fresh water from an underground aquifer. Comparing wisdom to a spring of life, Solomon uses a metaphor to express the life sustaining value of wisdom. It is essential to living a clean and healthy life. Lacking wisdom, an individual is vulnerable to suffering and even premature death just as a person who lacks water to quench thirst.

But wisdom, like water, does more than sustain life. It refreshes and purifies. Wisdom leads the believer to turn from worldly ways and to follow the commands of God. As Solomon says, wisdom leads the wise to turn from the snares of death.

Never Thirst Again

Jesus Christ offers words of wisdom while speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well. The Lord says that whoever drinks the water from that well will thirst again. Christ adds in John 4:14, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. WEB” Of course he is speaking about salvation from sin and our eternal inheritance in heaven.

In a similar verse, Jesus says in John 7:38, “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water. WEB” When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, not only do we avoid the snares, or traps, of the enemy in this world, but we also avoid eternal condemnation by turning from sin and toward God.

Yesterday’s Devotional: You Shall Have Them