The Blessings of Wisdom
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew. My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment. They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet. Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.”
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.” Who among us does not want a peaceful life? I am an adrenaline junkie; I love downhill skiing, white water canoeing, and mountain biking. I entertain my coworkers at the hospital by launching my bike off the wheelchair ramp in front of the theater building. (OR) But there is a time for adrenaline and a time for peace. As I am writing this, Mr. Cat, the feline who rules our household, is stretched out on our 3-seater couch. When the fit strikes him, Mr. Cat will engage in kitty Olympics, dashing through the house and bouncing off furniture. But right now, Mr. Cat is engaged in a different pursuit-one of the countless cat naps he will enjoy today.
Mr. Cat follows the wisdom God has given him, but frequently, we aren’t wise enough to know when it’s time to rest and seek guidance. God is the Ultimate Source of wisdom; however, the Holy Spirit speaks best when we are quiet, not when we are dashing around like Mr. Cat bouncing off furniture. Want wisdom? Get quiet someplace and listen for God’s still small voice.
“Preserve sound judgment and discernment. They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.” In this world of clamoring competing voices, how can we possibly preserve sound judgment and discernment? We need God’s Word. We need the Bible, for in it we find the principles we require to maintain our balance in uncertain situations. As long as we follow God’s precepts, our consciences will be clear and we will sleep peacefully.
“Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.”
The title of this study is “God hates bait and switch!” Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly warns His people against cheating others of their wages or withholding those wages when the money is available. The Law of Moses warns against taking someone’s cloak in pledge and then keeping it overnight, leaving the poor person shivering in the cold. “Bait and switch” is a particular form of scam in which the seller advertises a product at an impossibly low price, only to entice people to come in and then to switch them to something far more expensive and possibly worth far less than the original item advertised.
Throughout the time when I headed a mission hospital, I did everything I could to maintain good relations with our suppliers, including paying them on time or working out payment schedules and then sticking to those schedules. I was succeeded by someone with less regard for such relationships. Now our institution is struggling to rebuild the trust that has been lost.
In an earlier age, it was a supreme compliment to say of someone that his/her word was his/her bond, that the individual in question would do everything in their power to fulfill their promised obligations. These days, we are still able to do emergency purchases because we are steadily rebuilding that trust.
There are many keys to success in business and in life, and this chapter of Proverbs hold some of the most important ones. Don’t promise what you can’t produce and fulfill the promises you have made as promptly as possible. When you do your best to honor commitments, God will honor you as well and help you fulfill your word.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we bless You and praise Your glorious Name that in a world where so many are cheating and stealing, You promise to bless us when we honor our commitments. Help us to seek Your wisdom so that we don’t promise more than we can possibly deliver. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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