A Wise Investment

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).

This proverb uses terminology common to traders and investors. To speak of gain and profit, the writer takes us into the financial world of gains and losses. Allow me to be a bit cheesy here by saying that this proverb takes us to the trading floor of God’s spiritual stock market.

If we want to make a wise investment in life, we will put all we have into wisdom. Wisdom is where the real pay off is. The gain or profit we receive from wisdom far exceeds that of silver, gold, and precious jewels. As a matter of fact, there is no comparison. Remember that wisdom brings blessing, translated “happiness.” Surely we remember our mother’s telling us that money can’t buy us happiness.

The good news is, wisdom can! Therefore, living wisely is the best investment we will ever make.

A Father's Love

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him who he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:11-12).

The previous verses (3:9-10) mention the blessings of the Lord. I would be surprised if anyone would ever despise those divine blessings or even grown weary of benefiting from the "full barns" and "bursting vats" given by the gracious hand of God. We naturally attribute such blessings to our Heavenly Father's love. But what about His discipline and reproof? How are we to respond to the tougher aspects of our Father/child relationship with God?

The exact same way!

If we are not careful, we could misunderstand His corrective discipline in our lives. Just as God's love is demonstrated by His work to remove obstacles in our lives (3:5-6) and provide for our material needs (3:9-10), it is demonstrated by His discipline. This is why we are to not reject or grow weary of the Lord's discipline. It is how He shows His love for us.

To think that God finds pleasure in correcting His children, whether physically or verbally, could cause us to miss the benefits of such discipline. Receiving God's correction leads to our growth of character and depth of maturity. Allowing God to bring us back in line is one of the greatest things we can experience because the end result is simply amazing.

Consider the character of those you know who had no parental discipline while growing up. They tend to be wild, rude, insensitive, selfish, and constantly in trouble with those in authority. Let that never be said of the children of God. For those who understand that the Father's love is proved in both the giving of blessing as well as discipline, life is truly wonderful.

Honoring God

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine" (Proverbs 3:9-10).

One of the best ways to show our gratitude to the Lord for His provision is to honor Him with the wealth with which He blesses us. Those who lived in Israel at the time this proverb was penned knew that the right thing to do at harvest time was to give a portion of the crops to the Lord... first thing. Giving leftovers to God was not very honoring to Him. Giving "firstfruits" to the Lord displayed a measure of faith and appreciation. Grabbing and hoarding displayed fear and selfishness.

The general principle revealed in today's passage is that the Lord is faithful to provide for His children. You and I can't out give God. As we give to the Lord, out of appreciation, He blesses us with abundance. This generalization does not lock God into a formula. He sovereignly chooses to give or withhold His blessing. The point of this proverb is to show that we are to honor God by giving faithfully and generously out of deep appreciation for His provision.

The more God blesses our giving, the more opportunity we will have to give. Barns full of grain and vats full of wine affords us a greater ability to bless others. This cycle of giving and blessing honors God in a way few of us truly understand.

Does your giving come from a heart full of gratitude to the Lord or do you feel yourself grabbing and hoarding? Only one of those is truly honoring to God.

Humility And Health

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8).


Today’s passage contains a three part admonition which links our spiritual humility to our physical health. A physical health which is provided by God. We must all be careful to not take credit for the wisdom God has given us. To be wise in our own eyes is to be overly confident and dependent on ourselves.

When we are wise in our own eyes, we tend to believe we don’t need God. We believe we don’t need God because we have life all figured out. We tend to think we can live life on our own, independent of God. Thinking we know our way around in life is a sure sign of arrogance.

Life is complicated and difficult. We all need the wisdom and direction of the Lord. We are designed to follow His lead, but if we do not fear God, in the sense of respect and submission, we will suffer.

There is a very practical reason we are to turn from evil. Evil always leads to suffering. Suffering comes in both the physical and spiritual realm. By mentioning our flesh and bones, today's proverb brings up the topic of our physical health, or the lack thereof. There are physical consequences involved in not living wisely. There are sexually transmitted diseases that come from infected partners, liver damage due to alcohol abuse, heart disease due to eating unhealthy food, and lung disease from smoking… just to name a few dramatic examples.

To live a life of wise moderation and morality leads to physical health and refreshment. The proper heart attitude is one of humility before God. Admitting we don’t have life figured out is the beginning of a God centered and directed life. A life that leads to both physical and spiritual health.

Blog Break

Dear Friend,

I am on vacation the week of October 19-25... While away, I am taking a Blog Break... check back on Monday, October 26, as we continue our Daily Passage Through Proverbs.

John

Wholehearted Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Many of the Proverbs we study mention the "heart" of man. The "heart" refers to many aspects of life. The "heart" is the combination of our emotions, intellect, understanding, discernment, and will. Our heart is who we are.

Today’s passage calls on us to have wholehearted trust in God. We are told to acknowledge Him (look to Him) in every aspect of life. We are to seek to know God’s desire for us. We are to know and choose His will over ours.

The reason for this, I feel, is quite obvious. Our understanding of life is very limited. If we rely on (lean on) our own limited understanding, we will miss out on the good life God has designed us for. Our life’s journey is in a broken and dangerous world. We need help!

Help comes to us in the form of a straight path. God makes straight paths for us by removing obstacles. He makes our path smooth which makes life much more fulfilling and enjoyable. Another way of understanding the promise is that God gets us to the finish line by making life a little easier.

There are lots of Proverbs that teach that those who live wisely have less difficulty in life. Life is much less problematic for them. Case in point, Proverbs 3:10 speaks of full barns and bursting vats.

Again, there is no formula in this, it is simply a matter of depending on God to get us to the place of joy and meaning. Lean on Him, and we are there. Lean on ourselves, we miss the mark. Our paths are made straight when we exercise wholehearted trust in God.

A Good Reputation

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart, so you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4).

What’s your reputation with those you hang around? How about your reputation with God? Do you have a favorable reputation with God and with people? Are you known for someone who loves deeply and is deeply committed?

Our reputation has to do with what we are known for. Today’s passage tells us that our reputation with God and man can be favorable if we wear steadfast love and faithfulness like a necklace. Meaning, those qualities are as visible as a shiny gold necklace or chain. Our reputation will be favorable if we write them on our hearts. Meaning, we make them a part of our inner life.

It is important that we have a reputation of being loyal to our commitments. That’s what it means to be faithful. Steadfast love and faithfulness go together. They are qualities of affection for and commitment to God and others. If we have a reputation for that, we have a good name.

The pleasure of God rests on those whose lives are marked by love and commitment. The Lord works in and through such people to bring them a level of success in life. Success in life simply means that life is lived to the full. It’s a life that runs on all spiritual cylinders. No sputtering or backfires.

Are you known for your solid love and your unyielding commitments? Are you sensing the favor of the Lord on your life? The favor of God and of men rests upon the person who loves steadily and wavers not in his commitments. Those are the folks, we are told, who have a good reputation with God and others.

Live Long And Prosper

“My Son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2).

If you are a Star Trek fan, then you probably recognize today’s title as being the Vulcan salute spoken first by Mr. Spock in 1967 on the Star Trek second season opening episode, “Amok Time.” No, I’m not a Trekkie, but I do know how to use an internet search engine.

Today’s passage assures us that if we do not forget the teaching of God’s Word, we will live long and prosper. The assurance is given that we can enjoy a long and prosperous life if we make God’s Word a part of our inner lives. This means we don’t let it go in one ear and out the other. We are to let it affect our hearts. We are to allow it to have its life changing effect on our lives.

The Hebrew word for “peace” is also translated, “prosper.” Peace and prosperity are very similar notions in the Old Testament. Prosperity does not necessarily mean financial success. You can be very poor financially and still enjoy God’s peace and prosperity in life.

The concept being taught in today’s passage is rather broad. It denotes wholeness, health, and harmony. It is all about life in the proverbial “zone”. Life is long and life is good when it is lived out of intimacy with and obedience to God. When that is being done, I believe life is lived to the full and in harmony with God and others.

If life is good, we want it to last a long time, don’t we? The more wholeness we experience in life, the longer we want it to last. Doctors have been telling us for years that the healthier we are, the longer we live. When life is harmonious, our heart’s desire is for life to continue. This is the promise of Scripture.

What are you willing to do today to make sure God’s Word works its way into your inner life? What about tomorrow and the day after that? A person who refuses to forget God’s teaching while allowing His Word to sink deep into his heart, will live long and prosper.

And that, my friend, is a promise that was made way before Mr. Spock’s Vulcan salute hit the 1967 airwaves.

Walking With A Good Friend

"So you will walk in the way of the good and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land and those with integrity will remain in it,..." (Proverbs 2:20-21).

Proverbs 2:11-19 describe the value of discretion and understanding by telling us that they protect us from the twisted words of evil men and the seductive words of evil women. We are reminded that the path of the wicked leads to death.

Today's passage describes the need of walking through life with the help of good friends. We were never meant to live life out on our own, you know. We have been created as relational people who need both our Creator and the friends He provides.

Good friends encourage good living. The path of righteousness is not an easy path. There are distractions, temptations, and confusing twists and turns. The Lord provides us with traveling companions that help us navigate the dangerous terrain of life.

Life is about much more than just what we don't do... it is not enough to just avoid evil. Life is truly lived well when we flourish in our pursuit of what is good. This can only happen if we walk the good path with good friends.

Consider your own journey today. Are you trying to walk the straight and narrow all alone? You and I will fail if that is the case. Ask the Lord to give you a good traveling companion. Someone who will encourage you in your journey.

While the path of the wicked leads to death, the path of the righteous leads to life. Be sure that you not only walk the good path, but that you walk that path with good people. Together, with good friends, is the only way to safely navigate the dangerous terrain of life.

Cause And Effect

"Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;" (Proverbs 2:9-10).

The Proverbs reveal many life situations impacted by the principle of "cause and effect." This is very different than living by a formula. Cause and effect is a natural course of life while "formula living" looks to manipulate God for a blessing. There is a difference between doing what is right so that God will make everything work out the way I want them to, and enjoying the fruits of righteousness simply because I walked the "good path."

As we live wisely, certain things are realized in our lives naturally. Wisdom naturally leads to a genuine experience of righteousness, justice, equity, and a life lived on the good path. This experience, in turn, leads to joy. As we live foolishly, the exact opposite is experienced. Much of life is truly "cause and effect."

Living out of the wisdom of God impacts a person's heart because it is God's wisdom that enters that heart and thus gives direction on "every good path." Cause and effect says that good things happen on the good path and bad things result from the journey on the bad path. This does not mean that bad things never happen to the person who walks the good path. It simply means that we can only experience the good things of life if we walk in wisdom.

Good things such as righteous actions, justice, and equity are welcomed results. Why? Because knowledge live out (wisdom) is pleasant to the soul. That means life is full of joy. As we walk through today, let's consider the cause and effect aspect of walking in wisdom. Wisdom leads us down the good path and that, in turn, leads to joy.

Wisdom Has Its Benefits

“he [God] stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the ways of his saints” (Proverbs 2:7-8).

There are some great benefits to living wisely. Some very positive and healthy things develop in the life of those who walk in the wisdom offered freely by God.

Living wisely leads to a life of pure morals. To deliberately walk that path not only keeps us from evil, it builds holiness into our lives. In case anyone has forgotten, holy is something we are commanded to be.

Fools, those who live their lives apart from God, suffer greatly because of their foolishness. But not those who are morally pure. Those who walk in integrity enjoy the protection and provision of the Lord. Saints of God do suffer, but their suffering comes because they do good, not bad. If we suffer, we are to suffer for walking in integrity rather than living foolishly in sin.

Those who walk in integrity have a divine shield about them. God’s shield surrounds those whose moral conduct reflects His goodness. This means that wisdom is not just about what we know, it is a matter of the heart and of moral conduct.

These days, those with good morals are mocked more than ever. They are ridiculed for being “good.” They are excluded from the crowd when they refuse to follow the path of immorality.

God’s children need not worry about the reaction of the crowd. God is a God of justice. All things will be reconciled to Him when it is all said and done. Those who walk in integrity will be better off, not just then, but now. We are assured of this by the simple fact that God guards the paths of justice. This means those who ridicule others for being good, need to be very careful.

Skillful Living

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

If you want to understand the meaning of “wisdom,” think of it as skillful living. As you think about it, you may realize that it really does take skill to thrive in life. Not just survive, but to thrive.

Wisdom is a gift from God. If we want to live life with great skill, we must do so through a right relationship with God. Wisdom comes our way if we receive His word, treasure His commandments, listen intently to His direction, call out for insight, and ask for understanding (see Proverbs 2:1-4).

Wisdom is given to those who apply knowledge and understanding. Knowledge and understanding can be understood as, “I get it.” It is about knowing the facts. Wisdom can be understood as, “I live it.” It is about applying, with skill, the facts we acquire from the Word of God.

We would do well to open our hands to receive the gift of wisdom. We would also do well to open our ears to hear the Word of God straight from His mouth. When we do that, we start to live skillfully. We start to understand how to answer tough questions about life. We start to realize the right way to respond to adversity. We begin to see that there is always hope, no matter how difficult life gets.

We must not just “get it,” we must “live it.” We must live it (life) with skill. That is what wisdom is all about.

A Treasure Hunt

"My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5).

I know that if someone handed you or me an authentic treasure map, you know, the kind with a dotted line zig zagging across the page in and around landmarks and stopping at a big black X... I know we would get busy. We would be diligent in our hunt for the buried treasure. I know that we would set all else aside and begin the hunt.

I believe today's passage is just such a map. A map that gives instructions on how to discover hidden treasure... treasure described as fear and knowledge of the Lord. Today's passage gives instruction on what efforts are needed to gain wisdom.

It starts by us receiving and treasuring God's instructions... His words and commandments. In short, we begin our treasure hunt by following the directions laid out for us by our Heavenly Father. It continues by listening to wisdom and applying it within our hearts. The quest continues as we call out for insight and cry for understanding. This means we need to request it... petition the Lord for it... verbalize our need.

By following this map, we gain wisdom and understanding in regards to our Father's words and commands. We gain valuable insight and understanding... we find treasure more valuable than silver or gold.

If you can't tell, it takes effort to become wise. Wisdom doesn't just happen. If we want to become wise children of God, we must be open to His instruction (receiving), we must retain what we learn (treasure), we must hear with a spiritual ear, and apply the truth with a spiritual heart.

To find wisdom for life, we must see it as a treasure hunt that involves a diligent search for that which is more precious than gold and silver. This, if nothing else, reveals to us the value of wisdom. This, I really do hope, motivates us to start our own personal treasure hunt for the wisdom God offers us for the life He calls us to.

Come One Come All

"Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:" (Proverbs 1:20-21).

Wisdom's invitation is very much a "come one come all" situation. If anyone lacks the wisdom needed to live a great life, it is only because they refuse the invitation to such a life.

How could wisdom (personified here as a pursuing woman) be more accessible? Calling in the streets, raising her voice in the markets, crying out in the crowded streets is God's very public invitation to a wonderful life.

Yet He is oftentimes ignored.

The remaining verses of Proverbs 1 describe the people who won't listen. They describe a person who loves being simple (lacking sense), delights in scoffing, and hates knowledge (see 1:22). The bottom line is that that person will suffer when life turns ugly. It seems that when that person needs wisdom after terror strikes, calamity comes, and anguish follows distress... they will struggle to find it.

To be ready for the tough times of life, we are to heed wisdom's call way before the tough times hit. It is nearly impossible to find God when life turns ugly because bitterness is part and parcel to the lifestyle of the fool.

Wisdom is calling for us to follow her through the busy and crowded streets of life. It is a very public invitation that needs an individual response. The invitation is "come one come all." What say you?

It's A Trap

"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent" (Proverbs 1:10).

Let's face it, sin can be enticing. At a very basic, fleshly level... sin looks really good. I have a feeling it's like that because sin is ultimately all about us. And, quite frankly, we really like it when it's all about us. When it is all about us, life feels good. But beware... it's a trap!

Believing it's a trap, we must choose to stay far away. Acknowledging that sin does feel good at first, what if we choose to forgo our feelings for a moment? What if we choose to live out of what we know rather than what we feel. I know, it's a crazy thought!

Remember that the good life comes from knowledge of God's goodness and that starts with a healthy fear of Him. Here's what we know for sure– God is the biggest giver of life there is while sin is the biggest taker... simply put, sin is a trap. That's why sinners have to entice us into it. They have to use some kind of bait in order to get us to bite.

If we live out of the facts and not out of our feelings, the enticement to sin fails. Sin's trap never sprung is a beautiful thing in the life of a follower of Christ. Having said that, be careful what you give your consent to today.