Proverbs 3:13-14 

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, ¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Dream

In the Scripture, dreams had been instrumental for God to speak to individuals. Do you think God speaks to you in your dream? Were you bothered by your dreams? Have you ever dreamed of something that you had dreamed again and again?

A young adult was bothered by a dream that he squandered a huge fortune of money recklessly. He was puzzled why his recent dream has similarity to dreams he had in the past. Then, he remembered the parable of the Prodigal son.

The Prodigal son asked his share of inheritance; his father gave his inheritance. And, it says in Luke 15:12-13, ¹³Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

Prodigal, reckless, careless and wild living practically exhibits no financial wisdom.

Many individuals work harder but still can’t increase their wealth, why? To spend smartly is wisdom. Some people tried to invest their money without any success, why? Productive investment requires wisdom. What wisdom is needed for successful career?

Does godly wisdom includes all wisdom we need in life? Wisdom is blessedness!

1. Blessed

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,

It is by faith to gladly accept this biblical reality that godly wisdom is blessedness! It requires wisdom to understand its meaning and practically apply it. It’s easy to claim, “I believe it!” But, practical application is much acceptable proof than verbal declaration. Godly wisdom is blessedness. What does it include? How do we explain to others?

“Blessedness” includes gladness and satisfaction that points to our blessed God. How can we be satisfied, blessed and glad for extended time, and not just momentarily?

When hungry –  eat, when thirsty – drink. When alone, down, feel ignored, what do you do? Social media is very enticing to multitudes who wish to be heard and known. Momentary relief from uncomfortable experiences – would you call it as blessedness?

Jesus Tested

Let’s learn from Christ’s life on earth. It says in Luke 4:1-8, ¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ²where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. ³The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” ⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” ⁵The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.

⁶And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷If you worship me, it will all be yours.” ⁸Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

It says, “For 40 days he was tempted by the devil?” The devil persistently tempted Jesus. Food or physical need, authority and splendor were instrumental to temptation. Jesus said, “Worship and serve God only.” He declared a secret to satisfied blessedness. Worship and service to God have practical, spiritual and eternal profits.

Certainly, we need food, but what can we do with authority and splendor?

Not many individuals are happy when the powerful flaunt or parade their glory, splendor or wealth; other people are envious and want similar wealth, splendor and glory also.

Jesus exemplified that obeying the mission purpose his Father sent him to do is contentment. His mission was to bring salvation to all who believe in his name, and not to accumulate temporal treasure. It declares in Revelation 5:9, ⁹You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Practical things are useful for lifestyle that testifies to the goodness of God for us. With godly wisdom and understanding, we can experience much better profit practically and even spiritually. Wisdom is far profitable and better than material wealth on earth.

2.  Better

¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

The pronoun “she” pertains to wisdom. Why did King Solomon refer to wisdom as pronoun “she” and not “he or it?” Was it because wisdom offers blessedness and contentment that silver or gold cannot? Scholars suggest grammatical appropriation rather than gender. Someone compared wisdom to dignified lady who pleases a king as opposed to foolish and wayward wife who causes her husband to be furiously angry.

Vashti or Esther

During the Persian Empire, King Xerxes ruled from India to Cush. For 180 days, he displayed his vast wealth, splendor and glory of his majesty.  Then, he gave banquet for all his people, great and small. Royal wine was abundantly served in goblets of gold. With no restrictions, everyone drank liberally, whatever and however, they wanted.

On the 7^th day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded to bring before him Queen Vashti, in order to display her lovely beauty. But, Queen Vashti refused to come. King Xerxes was furious and burned with anger. Vashti was replaced as queen. And it says in Esther 2:17-18, ¹⁷The king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 

¹⁸And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

King Xerxes was mighty powerful, yet his vast wealth, splendor, glory and lovely beautiful Queen Vashti were not enough to satisfy him. But with Esther as his queen, King Xerxes proclaimed holiday for everyone; he distributed gifts with royal liberality.

After Esther became queen, she saved King Xerxes from assassination plot. Later, he promoted Haman to very high office; Haman wanted to kill all Jewish people when Mordecai the Jew did not want to bow down to him. Queen Esther kept the Jews safe.

Reflect: If Haman wanted to kill all the Jews because Mordecai didn’t bow to him, it shows Haman’s greed for honor. Will he not desire for the throne of King Xerxes also? Before greedy Haman can plan to replace Xerxes as king, Esther eliminated him totally.

Godly wisdom is like pleasant queen, who prevents possible danger to her king; wisdom restores. It repairs mistakes and it eliminates future threat from impulsive decision.

In comparison, physical beauty, wealth, power, and splendor are useful to kings, but they can’t guarantee complete satisfaction, cannot save from unknown danger, cannot fix mistake of impulsive decision, and cannot eliminate possible threat or crises.

Just meticulously observe: Wealthy and powerful individuals want more. Many movie actors and actresses are beautiful and wealthy. Why do they still want divorce? Why can they not be satisfied with beauty and wealth? What will satisfy them?

Godly wisdom is biblical secret to a much better life experiences. Wisdom saves us from possible danger, like Queen Esther who saved King Xerxes from assassination. Wisdom fixes up mistakes of impulsive decisions like Queen Esther fixed up the mistake of King Xerxes when he impulsively decided to promote the wicked Haman.

There are many things that make difficult life experiences. Possible danger, threat or undesirable effects of impulsive decision or mistakes – can godly wisdom help us?

By faith, we believe and assimilate what it declares in 1 Corinthians 1:24 ²⁴To those whom God has called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Reflect on it: If Christ has the power to save us from eternal punishment in hell, it’s by faith, we believe that Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God can save us from possible danger, threat and effect of impulsive decisions and mistakes. Right?

Pray for increase of faith and godly wisdom to understand and believe such truth.

May the Lord bless and help you personally apply and prove that wisdom is far better and more profitable that material wealth so that, you will testify about it.

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