The blessings of wisdom

Wisdom is more valuable than jewels; nothing you could want can compare with it. Wisdom offers you long life, as well as wealth and honour. Wisdom can make your life pleasant and lead you safely through it. Those who become wise are happy; wisdom will give them life.   (verses 15-18)

Read Proverbs 3:11-20

Wise people are honoured in all cultures. The wise sayings of Confucius are well known, as are also the wise sayings of Solomon. The Bible contains several books devoted to wisdom. You can become wise by reading them and putting into practice what they say.

But there is a big difference between human wisdom and godly wisdom. Psalm 111:10 says, ‘Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom’ (New Living Translation). King Solomon wanted his son to practise godly wisdom, so he taught him to learn to see the hand of God in the happenings of daily life, to thank and honour God for what he was doing, and to follow his commandments.

You can become wise today by seeing and acknowledging God in your daily life, by thanking him for what he is doing in your life, for his love for you made known in the life and death of Jesus, and by trying to live according to his laws and the plans he has placed before you. Then you will experience the blessings of wisdom, which is more valuable than anything else in the world, because it has the happy outcome of eternal life.

Heavenly Father, the source of all true wisdom, please give me the wisdom I need today, so that I may please you and experience the joy of knowing that I am following you on the path of life. Amen.

by Kevin Schmidt, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.