In The Word
Read: Proverbs 8
The Commendation of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call,
And understanding raise her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, people, I call,
And my voice is to mankind.
5 You naive ones, understand prudence;
And, you fools, understand wisdom!
6 Listen, for I will speak noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.
7 For my mouth will proclaim truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
9 They are all straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Accept my instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels;
And all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride, arrogance, the evil way,
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 Advice is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.
15 By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
17 I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold;
And my yield better than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord created me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 From eternity I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24 When there were no ocean depths, I was born,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was born;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 When He established the heavens, I was there;
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
29 When He set a boundary for the sea
So that the water would not violate His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was His delight daily,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of mankind.
32 “Now then, sons, listen to me,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the person who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
35 For one who finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord.
36 But one who sins against me injures himself;
All those who hate me love death.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
We can buy many things with our hard earned money, but Solomon wrote that nothing exceeds the value of acquiring wisdom. Wisdom leads to God and provides protection through making good choices and decisions. God tells us how to secure this great treasure of wisdom and its many benefits: “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:34-36). Wisdom comes by listening to God’s Word, which is simple and understandable to prevent confusion. This is why it is critical that we start each day with God through worship, prayer, studying His Word, and meditation.
While God’s wisdom is clear and leads to life, there are those who will reject it, in part or whole. To those people God says, “All those who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:36b). But we who are Christians should choose the better path to embrace all of God’s wisdom and completely reject evil out of love and respect for Him. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate” (Proverbs 8:13). Sadly, some people do not hate evil; rather, they just hate the negative consequences of sin.
Do you see the great treasure of life, protection, and God’s favor that comes from gaining wisdom and rejecting evil? It is worth all of your effort to acquire God’s wisdom.