1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5 (NKJV)

As in the first chapter – God address us – as a father would his son.

In this first section we see several “ifs”:

1. If you receive my words
2. If you treasure my commands within you
3. If you treasure then to the point that you want to hear wisdom
4. If you apply your heart to understanding
5. If you cry out for discernment
6. If you lift up your voice for understanding
7. If you seek wisdom as you would silver
8. If you search for wisdom as you would a hidden treasure

Then:

1. You will understand the fear of the Lord
2. You will find the knowledge of God

Matthew Henry gives three steps to finding wisdom:

1. We must closely attend to the Word of God
2. We must be in much prayer
3. We must take pains to find it

If you think that wisdom will automatically come knocking at your door – you are much mistaken. Jesus told us:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 (NKJV)

To reap a harvest you must plant the seed, water the ground, fertilize the soil, pull the weeds – in other words – it takes effort. So too is the finding and applying of wisdom.