August 4

 

Embrace Wisdom

 

Proverbs 3, 4

 

            KEY VERSE: Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.

n      Proverbs 3:13

 

The only thing better than wisdom is godly wisdom. That is what Solomon prompted Solomon to observe that a man is truly blessed who gains true wisdom, or godly understanding.

No one understood this better than Solomon. When he became king, he asked God to give him a discerning or understanding heart. God answered Solomon’s prayer, enabling the king to rule his people wisely and well for many years.

In the Book of Proverbs we find great wisdom attributed to Solomon. These wise sayings are worthy of lifelong study and practice. Here we find splendid guidance about moral values that are helpful to anyone, especially young men. More than once I have encouraged young Christian men to read and study the Proverbs and to consider them as reliable guidelines for living.

Many foolish ideas exist in our culture. The thinking of many otherwise well-educated people in our society is seriously flawed. The wizards of Wall Street have led many down a financial dead-end street. The geniuses of  clever advertising Hehave deceived millions into believing that it is our “outward appearance” that counts the most. Even some of the media evangelists have, in the name of God, persuaded vast numbers of people to embrace the insidious “prosperity gospel.”

Perhaps that is why Elton Trueblood included the search for wisdom in his definition of the ministry of the Christian in today’s world: “The ministry of the Christian today is three-fold – to pray, to serve, and to think” (Italics added). The wise philosopher stressed the necessity for Christians to use their minds so as to think clearly in the face of so much mindless religion in our culture.

We do indeed need to meditate under the shade of “the tree of life,” which wisdom is, until we gain the understanding that godly wisdom is “more precious than rubies,” or any of the alluring “things” of this world.