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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Nothing You Desire Can Compare

Now, check me on this.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. (Prov 3:13-17)
Now, maybe I'm being a bit too far out, but it strikes me that Solomon (who wrote this) thinks that wisdom is a good thing. Too much? No, I don't think so.

Solomon says that wisdom is very beneficial to us. Better than gold. More precious than jewels. Wisdom, he says, gives long life, riches, and honor. "Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace." I don't mind saying it. That sounds great to me.

So, how do we get this marvelous stuff, wisdom? Job said, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). The psalmist wrote, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding" (Psa 111:10). Solomon wrote, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Prov 9:10). I'm detecting a pattern here. I wonder ...

4 comments:

Bob said...

yea' Solomon got wisdom as a GIFT. The rest of us have to endure a lifetime of sweat and misery to acquire a smidgen of common sense. i know that i am making fun of Solomon, but dang this is the Guy who started out in life as a king. then after all his wealth and comfort he is not satisfied, so he writes ALL IS VANITY... yea he tried every thing under the sun, and came to a very sad conclusion. Life is pointless.. Good thing that he was wrong on that score. what he forgot to mention was that the reason for his emptiness; was because he left the Lord and worshiped other gods. if there is a single take away from Solomon literary works. is don't be like Solomon.
just like john Lennon.. very sad..

Stan said...

I think if you read to the end of Ecclesiastes he changes his tune on "all is vanity."

Bob said...

hey no spoiler alert... i got to check it out.

chp 12:1 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:
Before the days of adversity come,
and the years approach when you will say,
“I have no delight in them”;

ok, ok i hate it when your right.
i am still working on the smidgen of common sense...

David said...

I understand Solomon's conclusion. If I didn't have Christ I would be a hedonist. There's no point to life without Christ.