Mensa Otabil - The Value of Wisdom

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Well, we’ve learned so much, uh, this week from Proverbs chapter 3. We’ve learned that the word of God is our instruction; it’s a command; it’s a rule. We’ve learned to trust the Lord with all our heart. We’ve learned to receive discipline from the Lord. We’ve learned to honor the Lord with all that we have. So, we are now in verses 13 and 14 of Proverbs chapter 3: «Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.»

The Book of Proverbs is about wisdom and the wisdom of God alive in our hearts, and how we apply God’s principles practically in our day-to-day relationships with God and with man. It tells us that the source of real happiness for us is wisdom. Wisdom is what gives us happiness because money, uh, represented as silver and gold, does not always give us the joy we are looking for. It’s clear in our lives that there are people who obtain all the money, acquire all the wealth, and live the most miserable lives. So, wisdom is important; you can have money, but you need godly wisdom, uh, in addition. The value of wisdom exceeds all the gold and all the silver.

The passage says something about wisdom and understanding. I want to draw your attention to it: It says, «Happy is the man who finds wisdom.» That means wisdom has to be sought; you must make an effort to be wise. You must seek it, and we seek wisdom from the word of God. When we apply God’s word to our hearts, to our lives, to our actions, to our conduct, when we place His instructions above our own thinking, then we begin to find wisdom because He guides us every day by His word and by His Spirit. Wisdom must be sought; it’s an effort-it’s a daily effort that we must make to find wisdom.

Then it says understanding must be gained. When we gain something, it’s almost like, uh, something has been added to it. So, when you find wisdom, understanding is gained; understanding is added to it. Wisdom has a way of pulling other things with it. Remember when Solomon prayed for wisdom? God said, «I will add to you the things that you didn’t pray for,» and He gave him more. Wisdom has a way of adding to our lives.

So, the passage says that when we find wisdom, we will gain understanding. When you look at the passage, it uses terms like profitable and yields better returns or better profits, uh, when we receive wisdom. It’s almost like a commercial thing; it’s almost like an investment. When you invest in wisdom, it gives you benefits, it gives you dividends, it gives you knowledge, it gives you understanding, and it makes your life better.

So, make it part of your pursuit in life, especially this year, next year, and the years after, to gain wisdom, to find wisdom so that you can gain all the other things you need in your life. May the Lord grant you, uh, the tenacity and the heart that pursues after wisdom, finds it, and gains all the good things of life. We’ve had a great week studying the Book of Proverbs. I trust that some wisdom has been imparted to you, and we will continue to build on it in the coming year.

Let’s share a word of prayer together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, instruct me with your knowledge; help me to find wisdom, and let my heart gain understanding. In Jesus' name, amen.»