A useful study habit I was once taught by a wise man is that just as there are 31 days in an average month, there are 31 Proverbs. This allows us to read one a day (obviously adjusting a little for months that have less days) and get through the entire book every month. Coincidentally, Proverbs is the so-called "book of Wisdom", containing large amounts of thought-provoking sayings which, if indeed they are thought about, are able to make one wise.
Recently, I missed a few days, so I decided to catch up during my usual trip to my favorite café. I noticed something. Two verses, one in chapter 13, one in chapter 14, were almost identical: "X is a fountain of life, turning people away from the snares of death". The difference? In Proverbs 13, X is a wise man's instruction. In Proverbs 14, X is the fear of the Lord.
This is nothing especially profound. It's true, and if heeded, will indeed bring great wisdom, and with it the natural rewards thereof. Nevertheless, right from the beginning, the book of Proverbs tells us "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Thus, you don't really need me to point out "hey, this other place also says the fear of the Lord is the fountain of life".
But it's interesting to me that these two things are linked with an identical phrase (with minor differences in some translations). Both are said to be a fountain of life, and both are said to turn one from the snares of death. In other words, they're quite similar things.
As I sat there pondering, I thought about what, exactly, the snares of death are. Biblically speaking, death is not purely a physical thing. Yes, it does have that element, but death, in reality, is a separation. Physical death, as James tells us, is when the body is without, i.e. separated from, the spirit (James 2:26). In the same way, faith, when it is separated from works, is dead. The so-called "second death" (Revelation 20:14) is when sinners are cast away from God (Matthew 7:23), separated from Him and His blessings forever.
In all cases, death is a very bad thing, both for the one who receives it, and even for the God who calls it an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26), and takes no pleasure giving it even to those who deserve it (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). But it's not totally random. The world God has created operates on a system of cause and effect. Therefore, Proverbs offers advice for both the physical and spiritual worlds. It speaks about the value of hard work and the folly of sloth. It talks about the dangers of adultery, controlling the tongue, being kind to others etc. Even an unbeliever could read Proverbs and think "yes, that makes sense". Thus, the instruction of a wise man saves from death in both senses.
But now consider the ultimate wise man: Jesus Christ. When He came, He bore many instructions, much like Proverbs. And these instructions have implications in both the physical and spiritual world. One example I find particularly interesting is Matthew 6:31-33: "So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."
In this world, the law of cause and effect means righteousness and wisdom do tend to bring greater rewards than wickedness and folly. Nevertheless, the world is still fallen, and so the righteous still suffer, and the wicked still prosper. Wisdom is not always enough to protect us from physical death. But note how Jesus' wise instructions are effectively "don't worry about it". The wise and foolish are much alike, physically speaking. But there is a guaranteed effect caused by faith: The Lord's favor. Fools will wander the earth for the rest of their lives, tending to their physical needs, and of course their pleasures. The result? Separation from the giver of life! They value their lives so much that it swallows them whole, and they lose it. But when we seek the Kingdom of God, knowing we will one day enter it through the Door (John 10:7-9), God provides us with everything we need, right up until He calls us home. Death itself becomes new life. Therefore, the greatest instruction a wise man can give, just as Jesus constantly gave, is fear the Lord. This, indeed, is a fountain of life, freeing us from the snares of death.