12 I wisdom dwell with
prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 13 The fear of the
Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward
mouth, do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am
understanding; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree
justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the
earth. 17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall
find me. 18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and
righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and
my revenue than choice silver. 20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in
the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may cause those that love me
to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
(Prov 8:12-21)
The quality of Wisdom is an inherent feature of its nature. If we are to become
wise, it must not be through reading or experience only. It must become a part
of our beings – an innate part of our own nature. God's Word is not
superficial, but a value to be internalized in the heart through study,
meditation and longing for that Word daily. As we digest that Word, it enters
into our bloodstream of life and is delivered to every cell of our person. It
then is part of who we are. But if the blood flow is topped, so does the life.
There is only one source of invention – God Almighty. When our beloved country
was founded upon Godly principles by Godly men, she was imbued with the Wisdom
that attends all Godly people. Inventions of every sort flourished in our land
and far exceeded those in other lands. It was not because we were a more
intelligent or better people than others, but we had God as our Teacher and
Guide. That makes all the difference.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty
inventions. Prudence is the outward expression of inward Wisdom.
The word derives from the Latin prudentia which in turn derives from providentia.
So Prudence is the certain evidence of acting according to the Guidance or
Providence of God. Is our citizenry wise today? Not nearly so much as in times
past. I have a Federal Reserve note on my desk (an old dollar bill) which has a
notation reading, "Redeemable in REAL money at any Federal Reserve
Bank." What that meant was that I could take the paper dollar note
to a Federal Reserve Bank and get the face value issued in silver. That is the
definition of REAL money. It is based on a concrete and physical value. The
currency we have today is worth only what the merchant says it is worth. Its
value is not stable. In times past, the American people worked hard and saved
what little they could – no longer! We are into every sort of lurid past time
and pleasure. Popular models, movie stars, and musicians are viewed with a far
higher regard than soldiers who go into battle to protect our freedoms.
How did our values become so lopsided? LIN Yutang, a Christian philosopher, and
son of a Christian minister, from Fujian, China, wrote: "We do not know
a nation until we know its pleasures of life, just as we do not know man until
we know how he spends his leisure. It is when a man ceases to do the things he has
to do, and does the things that he likes to do, that the
character is revealed. It is when the repressions of society and business are
gone and when the goads of money and fame and ambition are lifted, and man's
spirit wanders where it listeth, that we see the inner man, his real self."
Based on that profound statement and wise observation, I suppose our Founding
Fathers would find no resemblance in modern America and the Beautiful America
which they founded.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy,
and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Every building
needs a foundation. What is the foundation of Wisdom? The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his
commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10) I hope the
reader, after reading my not-so-well-written devotions, will begin to see in at
least those Scripture passages that I have quoted a complete cohesiveness and
continuity in God's Word. Every part of His Truth is in accord with every other
part. It is for that reason that I love to quote cross sections of Scripture to
bear out that beautiful and amazing feature of God's Word. It is the FEAR of
the Lord that is the BEGINNING, but not the END, of Wisdom. When we have come
to the realization that we are shameful sinners, unworthy to touch the hem-line
of Christ, then we begin to fear the wrath of God for our disobedience of His
Commandments. Morality is a component part of Wisdom. That initial fear should
naturally lead us into an intense inquiry of the remedy in God's Word. When we
know and love God, we will hate those things that He hates. His friends will be
our friends, and His enemies will be our enemies. Shouldest thou help the
ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from
before the Lord. (2 Chron 19:2) Pride and arrogance hates everything
that does not lift it up. How can we truly love little children on forlorn
streets if we feel that we are so much better than them? God loves them!
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have
strength. Even a little child, wielding the weapon of Wisdom, can
put the scholars to shame. The point is this: Wisdom does not consider the
strength of its possessor, but it gives ALL strength to those who get it. The
only counsel that is of worth comes from Wisdom. We do not run in our
distresses to fools for answers, do we? Wisdom does not teach us blindly, but
provides understanding to buttress the wise principles she has taught.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. The
mountains are rich in Wisdom, but so are the valleys. Even those who know not
the Author of Wisdom profit from its possession. 16 By me princes
rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. There is a
worldly wisdom that does not approach the supreme value of Godly Wisdom. The
wisdom of the world uses intrigues and subterfuge to gain advantage, but the
advantage is temporary. True Wisdom exalts a people and nation without fear of
reversal.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall
find me. Wisdom has a strong affinity to those who love and seek
her. My heart is broken at the difficulty many older Christians have at
understanding truly God's Word. They have been under false preaching and
teaching so very long that their minds are set in the wrong way. So they suffer
a lesser blessing than if they had confirmed the promises of God long ago while
sitting on the river bank as a child. Yes, hear the sermon, but confirm all
things spoken from the pulpit by the Word of God. That way, we cannot easily be
led astray. A fundamental principle of learning is Primacy. That which we
learn first is most enduring. If that first learning is error, it will be hard
to clear our minds of it. 1 O God, thou art my God; early will I
seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and
thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I
have seen thee in the sanctuary. (Psalms 63:1-2)
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and
righteousness. In many under-developed nations, the income of the
people may be less than 10% of that in America; yet, in some of those nations,
the average personal savings exceed that of those in America. Amazing, isn't
it. Wise handling of our resources leads to wealth and honor. But
material wealth is fleeting and unsure; however, Wisdom is durable – it last
not only through this life, but escorts us into the life to come. The
truly wise person will also be a righteous person – "honesty is the
best policy" (Aesop) was the clarion call of American honor for
the first one and half centuries of our Independence. When we compare the
character and honor of Washington, Jefferson, and Patrick Henry with that
evidenced in modern Washington, we are bewildered at the difference.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my
revenue than choice silver. What are the fruits of Wisdom? Does
your fear and worry of being found out in a sultry sin keep you awake at night?
Did you spend your last check in one day out of desire for that which you could
not afford, and have no money left to cover essential obligations? Is your
heart heavy with guilt that paralyzes your ability to serve God and man? A
clear conscience will afford a night of sound and restful sleep. An honest
heart will forestay our looking constantly over our shoulders to insure that
our deceitful intrigues do not catch up. A mind of righteousness will enable us
to look straight into the eyes of our friends without reservation or guilt.
Those are riches that endure. They even extend our lives physically. Gold and
silver cannot buy peace of mind – Wisdom can and will do so. This is why Wisdom
is referred to as a "Tree of Life" in Proverbs 3:18. But man always
seems, as did Eve and Adam, to choose the wrong fruit from the wrong tree.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths
of judgment. The way of Righteousness is that same Way to which our
Lord made reference as the NARROW WAY that
leadeth unto life." You inquire as to the WAY? Search out
the Scriptures. The directions and counsel given there on the Righteous Way are
abundant. No man needs to wonder of it. Wisdom always coincides with
Righteousness. In fact, Wisdom is already on that Path of Righteousness – not
on the right or left side of the Path, but in the very CENTER of it. "Teach
me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end;" (Psalms
119:33) and Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk" (Psalm
143:8) Isaiah describes the way and the answer to finding it: "Thine
ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it,
when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."
(Isaiah 30:21) But the world is dark and dreary. Where shall we find Light for
our path? Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path. (Psalms 119:105) Do we not love that good and classic hymn, Lead
Kindly Light?
Lead Kindly Light
Lead,
kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The
night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep
Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The
distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was
not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I
loved to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on!
I
loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride
ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So
long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on.
O'er
moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,
And
with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have
loved long since, and lost awhile!
Meantime,
along the narrow rugged path, Thyself hast trod,
Lead,
Savior, lead me home in childlike faith, home to my God.
To
rest forever after earthly strife
In the
calm light of everlasting life.
What a better or brighter or more enduring light than that inextinguishable
Light of Christ to guide us always? The last verse of today's text seals the
whole: 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit
substance; and I will fill their treasures. Riches and treasures
that the unlighted eye cannot comprehend await those who walk in the Wisdom of
the Lord. The key to this consummation of Wisdom is not the first precedent of
fear, but LOVE! It is not possible to love Wisdom and fail to love God, for
Wisdom is the Mind of God in action. That which we love we can never reject. If
we LOVE truly, we cannot disobey that love by acting contrary to its nature.
That new Commandment that Jesus gave is not new after all, but old as the
Heavens. "Love one another as I have
loved you!" That is a love that can only originate in the
heart of God, and that is the love we claim.
