Proverbs 2:10-11
"When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:"
"Hast thou considered my servant Job...?" This was the question God asked Satan in Job 1:8, when He talked about Job's testimony. Satan responded by saying, "Hast not thou made an hedge about him...?" Satan knew that he could not get to Job because of the hedge or shield of protection God placed about him.
This is what God is teaching in the verse above. God says that when a person allows wisdom to enter into their heart, that He will give them "discretion" which will "preserve" them along life's way. The "discretion" which God is talking about is discernment to know right from wrong. God says that this discretion will "preserve" them. The word "preserve" is talking about a hedge like Job had about him. When a person gets wisdom, it will give them discernment which will be a hedge of protection about them to keep them from being harmed.
The question we must ask is this, from what are we being protected? This wisdom will deliver them from the evil man who tries to teach them things which will lead them away from God. In other words, wisdom will keep a person from the one who will lead them astray spiritually and morally.
Getting wisdom is truly what one must strive to obtain. The wisdom God is talking about is His Word. Verse 1 says, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;" God didn't say if we would receive the words of some theologian, but He says if we would receive His words. He enforces this in verse 6 when He says, "For the LORD giveth wisdom..." This is exactly what God says in James 1:5 when He says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." You do not gain God's wisdom by reading the books of those who don't use God's Word as their authority, but you gain God's wisdom by reading the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the source from where you will gain God's wisdom which will give you the discernment to protect you from paths that will lead you astray.
Friend, the one action that will protect you from ever going astray is to stay in the Word of God and study it. The person who searches God's Word as one searches for silver or hidden treasures will gain the wisdom they need in life to gain the discernment needed for protection. You won't gain this wisdom by a casual reading every day, but you must search the Scriptures and study them if you are going to gain this wisdom.
Let me ask you, how much time do you spend in the Scriptures? If you truly want to be protected from sin or going astray, then you need to make the Scriptures your sole resource book to gain God's wisdom. The Word of God is your source of wisdom you need to study to protect you from ever straying from the old paths. Let this be your reminder to daily search the Scriptures.