Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Wisdom from Proverbs”
Our Bible verse for today: “My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands, for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being.” Proverbs 3:1 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Godly wisdom helps us to have right priorities.”
The famous missionary Jim Elliot, who gave his life on the mission field in service to Christ, once wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Jim’s point was that only things of eternal significance will last and have value forever. All earthly things are temporary and will eventually be lost to us. That being the case, we need to be willing to hold the things of earth loosely, even freely giving them away, in exchange for things of eternal value. In Jim Elliot’s case he gave his mortal life (which he was going to lose sooner or later anyway) for the cause of Christ, which has value that lasts for eternity.
Obviously this example has many applications. This is the point Solomon was getting at in Proverbs 3:1. Godly wisdom has value both for this life and for eternity. Therefore it is worth being acquired and kept. That’s true even if it means giving up earthly things.
Solomon then went on to make that very point a little later in the Proverb when he takes his point in verse 1 and applies it to the pursuit and possession of worldly wealth. In verse 9 he urges the reader to “Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce from your entire harvest.” And further in verses 13-15:
“Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her.”
When Solomon writes in 3:1 that if we have a heart that is committed to God and to His ways, we will then have a life that is full and satisfying, he means that we will be living the best life we can have because it will be the life blessed by God.
When we have acquired Biblical wisdom, and therefore our focus is on the things of God, our priorities will be in order. That then will lead us to the best life we can have. It will be a life that is blessed by God in many ways, but it will also be a life that is focused on things that really matter, things that have eternal value.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 