Proverbs 9:10-12 

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. ¹¹For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. ¹²If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Coke Adds Life

Coke Adds Life was very attractive commercial promotion for Coca Cola. Consumers do not necessarily believe that coke adds more years to extend their life but they just enjoy the refreshing taste of cold drinks, especially in summer. Actually, many health conscious people avoid drinking coke because they think it would just ruin their health diet. Avoiding sweet soda helps lose weight.

Surely, no human being can extend their life. We do not exactly know how long we live. Nevertheless, it’s wise decision to avoid beverages that cause illness.

Personally how do you practically apply what it says in James 4:17? ⁷If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Does it apply with choice of food? Do we sin if we eat food that may cause us to get sick? Is it sin to choose leisure and pleasure? Human instinct is attracted to worldly pleasure and leisure. It takes godly wisdom to decide or choose things that testify to our transformation. As wisdom begins, we fear to upset the Lord.

1.  Wisdom Begins

¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Anyone may become expert in anything in this world. They may understand and explain difficult theories; such is awesome. But what kind of understanding that matters the most? It’s knowledge of God. While knowledge of worldly things is essential in this world, knowledge of the Lord and his will translate to eternity.

Godly wisdom begins to be functional in us when we understand that God is holy, set apart; we should choose not to cause anything that may irritate the Lord if we understand that God is perfect in everything he does. What is it that God cannot appreciate? Sin, transgression, wickedness, things offensive to him!

It declares in Ecclesiastes 4:4, ⁴All toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Envy is also biblical reality. The writer of psalm testified how he’s envious of people who increase their wealth and always free of care.  However, the psalmist kept his heart pure before the Lord, even when he was afflicted. And then, he understood that the final destiny of the wicked is destruction.

When we are envious, may our prayer be like Psalm 73:25-26, ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. ²⁶My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

What is it that you desire to attain? Pray to desire on earth practical things that translate to eternal treasure. We need godly wisdom to decide on activities with eternal significance. Discover how wisdom adds glorious years to your life.

2.  Wisdom Adds

¹¹For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

When it says that wisdom adds more years to life, is it particularly about number of years added to life? Many people live long years in poverty; others live long years while in prison. What kind of long years do you personally choose? Surely, you want to have blessed years to live by, and wisdom promises them.

Trivia: Who reigned the longest as king of Judah? Manasseh was king of Judah for 55 years! Yet, his kingship was not very desirable as compared to King Solomon. It declares in 2 Chronicles 9:26-27, ²⁶King Solomon ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. ²⁷ The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones.

Certainly, you have known that King Solomon was the wisest king of Israel. And the description that silver was common in Jerusalem as stones may imply that everyone lived their life in peace in Jerusalem because there were no thieves. We’re challenged to regularly pray that God gives wisdom to government officials.

How should we interpret what it had commanded us in Jeremiah 39:7?

⁷Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

The more we know about God, the more we trust him, so that we pray for wisdom for city officials to come up with plans that attract investors into this city like efficient service, infrastructure, peace and order. Wisdom rewards the wise.

3.  Wisdom Rewards

¹²If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Of course, nobody wants to suffer. We don’t need to personally experience much about life in mockery, stupidity or foolishness. We should focus more on how we could become wiser that we may expect reward. So how could we start?

We have to make sure that we have reverent fear of the Lord; that is, when wisdom begins in us. Practically, what is fear of the Lord? Fear of the Lord points to the holiness of God. It says in 1 Peter 1:15-16, ¹⁵Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

To be holy is to be sacred, divine, pure, consecrated, set apart for godliness.

Certainly, we cannot make ourselves holy, but our goal should be holiness in all things we do. Meaning: Decision we make, action we take, word we speak should intentionally manifest transformational work of God in us. Philippians 2:12-13, challenges us, ¹²Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

The Holy Spirit of Christ in us transforms us to will and to act on his good purpose. Have you discovered the purpose of God for us yet? Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:8-11, ⁸Join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. ⁹He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

My Choice

Personally, I am also tempted to travel and discover the wonders of the world. But I choose not to go. I told my family that they can travel without me. It is personal choice to stay where God called me. From time to time, I go fishing for food and relaxation. I pray that God add multiply my enthusiasm to serve him.

It’s personal choice to be intentional in serving the Lord. Our mission purpose is to testify of the transformational work of Christ in our life. The most satisfying attainment that we can ever have is to accomplish our mission purpose. Why? It certainly translates and adds to eternal treasures for ourselves in heaven.

Friends: Pray for godly wisdom, stronger faith and inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that you may intentionally decide to do things that may prove your faith in the Lord, and the more glorious days and years will be added in your life.

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