Proverbs 8:19-21 

¹⁹My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. ²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, ²¹bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

Inheritance

            Have you ever expected anything that you may inherit from your parents?

Someone paid tribute to his father on Father’s Day. His father was a retired pastor and church planter. He remembered the time when he asked his father, “Dad, you’ve been planting and pastoring churches everywhere, why did you not secure a piece of property that you can will or you can leave to your children as inheritance?” His father told him, “I do not want anything that will prevent me or hinder me from following the Lord wherever he leads me.”

            It is not impossible for pastor’s kids to desire practical inheritance from their parents. Material things are very useful in the ministry as well.

The Scripture mentioned silver and gold multiple times, especially in the Book of Proverbs. The more silver and gold you have, the richer you are, right?

            Personally, how do you internalize what the Lord declares in Haggai 2:8? ⁸‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

            If the Lord Almighty owns the gold and silver, it is most appropriate to seek his blessing; know what he requires to receive his blessing. What does he requires us to do? The Lord Almighty wants us to obey him because his instructions are his impartial means for him to bless us appropriate to how we obey him diligently.

            But how can we interpret his instruction appropriately? We need godly wisdom. What do you think? With godly wisdom, we can internalize it properly that the Lord may bless us also with fine gold or silver. Can you believe that?

1.  Fine

¹⁹My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

             “Fine gold and choice silver” command higher prices than gold ore or silver ore. Fine gold and choice silver has endured history as symbols of social status.

Yet, it declares that wisdom produces better yield than fine gold and choice silver.

            Truly, wisdom can produce far greater things that cannot be bought with gold and silver. The term fruit is a properly interpreted as reward when identified with wisdom. Likewise, the term yield is properly translated as produce, revenue or profit. If we seek wisdom diligently and seriously, godly wisdom yields rewards for us far greater social status than fine gold and better profit than choice silver.

            What should we do? Seriously pray that God would grant us wisdom. When we trust God, it proves we received wisdom. King David testified of his experience with the Lord in Psalm 65:9-13, ⁹You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. ¹⁰You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. ¹¹You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. ¹²The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. ¹³The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

            There are many practical needs for farmers to produce abundant harvest. Water is very important for farmers to grow their plants and for livestock.

There are also other problems like natural calamities, bad elements in the society and pests that may contribute to lesser harvest. King David testified that the Lord brings bounty and overflow with abundance. Can you believe that?

            Employees may do their best at work but cannot be sure of their promotion or salary increase. Can you believe that the Lord can cause employers to observe diligence of employees so that they would promote or even increase their salary?

            Additionally, godly wisdom promises not only better fruit and yield but also provides righteous path of justice, bestow inheritance and make treasuries full.

2.  Full

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, ²¹bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

            The term righteousness can be translated as honest judgment. Some people say that they are honestly mistaken in their judgment. What they mean is that, they sincerely admit their mistake. Biblical honesty pertains to righteous deeds. Wisdom produces righteous judgment and not admittance of sincere mistake.

            Someone said, “Honesty is the only policy.” It pertains to right judgment.

            Do you consider honest mistake as right judgment? If you take exam in school and committed an honest mistake, will your teacher consider it as right judgment? Honest or not, mistake is the exact opposite of right judgment.

            To sincerely admit a mistake should help judge righteously next time.

When godly wisdom decides, the result is appropriately righteous and just.

Reflection: It declares in Psalm 33:5, ⁵The Lord loves righteousness and justice.

The term “loves” is in present tense; not past nor future. Meaning: The love of the Lord is actively experienced as we do righteousness and justice. King David promoted righteousness and justice because he experienced much of God’s love.

Got Talent

            Making righteous judgment requires wisdom. There are many TV shows where judges decide the winners. “Got talent” shows can be very exciting to contestants, audiences and judges. When contestants are very talented, judges may find it tough to decide who should be eliminated or who should be winner.

            Favoritism may even play a role in the decisions of judges. Judges may favor participants because of style, personality or background. Other judges may favor participant who benefit their show. Still another judge may see a better result or yield from a talent. Different factors may influence judges to choose the winner.

            Even in sports competition where judges decide the winner, biases of judges will certainly affect the result of the competition. Have you observed it?

            Practically, we also judge things we choose for ourselves, may it be career, partner in life, or practical necessities we need to survive in this world. How could we make the right decision so that we may avoid saying, “I’m honestly mistaken?”

Together, let’s learn what Moses advised Israel in Deuteronomy 4:5-8: ⁵I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” ⁷What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? ⁸And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

            Fine gold and choice silver will always be desired, but godly wisdom yields far greater results than fine gold and choice silver. Diligently pray for wisdom.

How do we know when we received wisdom from God? When we obey the Lord, it shows practically that godly wisdom is active in us, and our obedience to the Lord produces far greater profit and produce than fine gold and choice silver.

With godly wisdom, we follow the path of justice and righteousness.

The path of justice and righteousness is social status that should be desired.

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