Proverbs 8:10-12 

¹⁰Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, ¹¹for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹²“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.

Scissor

            What is one priceless thing do you own? What is something that you value?

Personally, I consider my scissor for haircut as priceless. I want my scissor to be sharp always and ready for haircut. To make sure that no one is tempted to use my scissor for haircut, I bought many scissors for papers or other objects.

            How about you? What is most precious item that you protect practically? What do you do to make sure a valuable item is protected and secured? Do you consider your job as the most precious to you? How do secure your job anyway?

Let us reflect on Deuteronomy 28:2-5, ²All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: ³You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. ⁴The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. ⁵Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

            The open secret of blessedness is obedience to the Lord. The term “Blessed in the city and blessed in the country,” implies that blessedness won’t depend on your location. Whether working in the city or in the countryside. The Lord blesses us when we obey him. And, it is through faith that we desire to obey the Lord.

1. Desire

¹⁰Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, ¹¹for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

            Someone said, “We learn more when listen than when we speak.” When wisdom speaks, it benefits the observant listener. Sadly, there are not a few who have not learned while they listen. Why? They listen to argue or dispute. This is also frequent sad reality that had been observed even among church attendees.

When wisdom declares that she is more precious than rubies, it would be ignored when their desire is to argue and not to learn. Certainly, they would choose silver instead of wisdom; they would desire gold instead of wisdom.

Wisdom declares that nothing we desire can compare with her. But why won’t everyone desire to acquire wisdom? What is this incomparable wisdom that is more precious that rubies actually? She is wisdom from God.

Instinctively, Godly wisdom is not naturally desired by anyone else. Why?

It is through faith in God that we personally internalize the value of godly wisdom.

Samuel

            When Prophet Samuel was very young, the Lord spoke to him, but Samuel did not readily recognize it. Three times the Lord called Samuel, and three times Samuel ran to Eli the priest. Eli realized that the Lord was calling, so he advised Samuel how to respond to the Lord. And the Lord told him in 1 Samuel 3:11-14: ¹¹“See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. ¹²At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. ¹³For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

            When the Lord speaks to us personally, we hear him very clearly. Agree?

Samuel listened to the Lord; he obeyed him, and there was peace in Israel when he served as leader of Israel until his old age. Approximately, Prophet Samuel led Israel for the longest time, if he started leading Israel as young person.

            In comparison, the children of Eli the priest heard the word of God regularly but there was no transformation in their life; they were wicked in the eyes of God. And the Lord punished them including all their succeeding descendants.

            Do you recognize the voice of the Lord, when he speaks to you personally?

Obedience to the Lord was the open secret of success of King David. He shared his personal experience in Psalm 34:12-16, ¹²Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, ¹³keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. ¹⁴Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. ¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; ¹⁶but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

            When we attentively listen to the Lord and obey him, his Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom gives us discretion to follow the path of life in its fullness.

2.  Discretion

¹²“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.

By faith we believe that Christ is the wisdom of God. We submit to Christ and follow his will; so wisdom, prudence, knowledge and discretion prevail in us.

When we abide by his word, we still face problems common to everyone. Nevertheless, we sense peace in our heart when the Holy Spirit prevails in us.

Godly wisdom helps us internalize Romans 8:26-28, ²⁶The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Advice

            What will you say? When an acquaintance shares problems in his family, what will you advise? For example, a retiree told you: “My grandchild is not attending church anymore; he has problem with his wife; they have financial problems; I am very worried about the future of my great grandchildren.”

            Relational, financial, spiritual or health problems are common problems of humanity. What should we advise? Or, what should we do as listeners?

It’s a divine opportunity to store up eternal treasure when someone comes for help. It’s by faith we believe that God wants us as his instrument of his grace and mercy to people in need. We should be helpful and not aggravate a situation. We need godly wisdom and empowerment of the Holy Spirit to be effective.

Most often we’re tested, if we’re conscious of practicing our faith in Christ.

In the first century Christianity, the Corinthian Christians had no idea about scope of the gospel of Christ. Apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 1:18-19: ¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

What have you personally proven when you believe the message of the cross? Do you have practical experience to testify about the power of God? After you believed that you were saved, has your lifestyle or behavior transformed?

How much do you value your faith in Christ now? Nothing we desire can compare with Christ the power of God and wisdom of God. Is this true to you?

            Pray for increase of faith, godly wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

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