Study Questions for July 5, 2026

A Wise Child Listens by Pastor Dale Beaver
Read Proverbs 1:1-7, 20-33; Matthew 7:24-27; and Matthew 11:28-30.

1. Pastor Dale opens by asking, "Are you a good listener?" and distinguishes between merely hearing a sound and actually processing what is being said. In your closest relationships, what is the difference between "hearing" someone and truly "listening" to them?
2. The sermon notes state that wisdom isn't a subject to master—it's a relationship to enter. How does viewing wisdom as a "walk with someone" change your approach to reading the Bible compared to seeing it as a textbook of facts to learn?
3. Read Proverbs 1:7. The "fear of the LORD" is described as a reverential awe that provides security rather than a terror that repels us. How does the image of a "larger-than-life" father figure who fills a room with authority and love help you understand what it means to fear God?
4. Pastor Dale argues that the fear of the Lord is not just a "starting block" to get us moving, but the "pavement" that supports our feet for the entire race of life. Is there an area of your life where you have tried to "take it from here" on your own strength instead of remaining dependent on God's foundation?
5. Read Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus compares a wise person to someone who builds on bedrock and a fool to someone who builds on sand. What "shifting sands" of culture or public opinion are you most tempted to build your life upon instead of the teaching of Jesus?
6. The Hebrew word for hearing is "Shama," which implies both listening and heeding (obeying) what was said. Why is it impossible, according to the biblical definition, to say you have "listened" to God if you have not applied His words to your life?
7. Pastor Dale references the song "In the Living Years" by Mike and the Mechanics to illustrate a son and father who talked at each other but never understood each other. How can we ensure we are opening our lives to "listen as well as we hear" when God speaks to us through His Word?
8. Read Proverbs 1:10-15. The sermon emphasizes that "bad company corrupts good character" and warns us to turn our backs on those who entice us toward folly. Discuss the idea that "showing your friends" can predict your future; how have you seen your social circle impact your spiritual direction?
9. Read Proverbs 1:20-23. Wisdom is personified as a woman shouting in the "public square" and the "marketplace" rather than just in the church. How can you be a "voice of wisdom" in your specific workplace or business dealings this week?
10. Pastor Dale warns that "sin will always cost you more than you want to pay" and that a "bill comes due" for foolishness. How does the urgent appeal in Matthew 11:28-29 to "come and find rest" offer a better alternative to the heavy burdens of living as a fool?
11. Close in Prayer: Thank the Father for being a "good father" whose voice we can trust. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you move beyond merely possessing knowledge to the active application of wisdom in your home and marketplace this week.

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Living with wisdom is like running on solid pavement instead of just pushing off a starting block. Many people treat God like that starting block—looking to Him for a strong beginning or a boost in crisis, then trying to run the rest of the race in their own power. True wisdom realizes that the fear of the Lord is the road beneath our feet, the foundation that supports every step we take, so our lives don’t collapse when pressure and hardship rise.