The Pursuit of Wisdom
January 5, 2023 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
One of the beauties of the book of Proverbs is its simplicity. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the father instructs his son that there are only two paths in life: the way of the wise and the way of the foolish. Following the way of the wise leads to the blessed life with God. Following the way of the foolish leads to destruction, misery, and death. The father, naturally, urges his son to heed his call to follow the way of the wise.
In our modern and postmodern context, we tend to muck up this simplicity. Life is not that simple, right? It cannot be that black and white? There are other paths, neutral paths; we even think and live as if we can walk both paths of the wise and foolish at the same time with no negative ramifications. In complicating life, we miss the simplicity in which God wants to meet us and bless us. We need to heed the call of Proverbs to follow the way of the wise.
The second chapter of Proverbs is a beautiful invitation to pursue wisdom. The father lures his son to the pursuit with a promise, “My son… if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (2:1, 3-5). If you diligently and eagerly seek for wisdom, then you will know the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the well-spring of a blessed life with God. The father outlines this blessed life in the remaining of Proverbs 2. God gives wisdom (v. 6). God is a shield to those on this path (v. 7). God watches the way of his saints (v. 8). The one on this path will understand “righteousness and justice and equity” (v. 9). Wisdom and knowledge will be pleasant to the soul (v. 10). The blessings continue through verse 22.
Will you heed the call to follow the path of the wise? Will you seek wisdom like silver? Will you search for it as for hidden treasures?
I think the question we all have on our minds is “How?” How do we seek wisdom? The image of seeking silver or hidden treasure conjures two activities.
- We seek wisdom eagerly. A child on a treasure hunt seeks that treasure with excitement and anticipation of the promise the treasure brings. It is with this same eagerness we should seek wisdom from God. The promised blessed life with God is what awakens within us that eagerness. Nothing else in this life or world can promise the same. This is where the simplicity of two paths is so beautiful. Only one pursuit will bring true satisfaction.
- We seek wisdom diligently. If there is treasure to be had, we don’t just haphazardly walk through life hoping to stumble upon it. We study maps. We read about the background of such treasure. We learn from others who are seeking the treasure. We avoid dead-end paths. We plan out next steps.
This is the call of Proverbs. Seek wisdom eagerly and diligently. Before I conclude, let me tease out one practical application of these two adverbs. Your Bible is the treasure map to finding wisdom in God. At the center of this inspired book is Jesus, who is the wisdom of God. The pursuit of wisdom is the pursuit of life in Christ. Therefore, if we will seek wisdom eagerly and diligently, then we will use our Bibles eagerly and diligently. Read it. Study it. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Discuss it. Apply it. How do you use your Bible?
Do you seek wisdom eagerly and diligently?
