The Profit from Wisdom

Tradition and Wisdom
Teaching and Learning:
Righteousness and Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13-26

The Message

The Very Tree of Life

 ^13-18 You're blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,
   when you make friends with Madame Insight.
She's worth far more than money in the bank;
   her friendship is better than a big salary.
Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth;
   nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
With one hand she gives long life,
   with the other she confers recognition.
Her manner is beautiful,
   her life wonderfully complete.
She's the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her.
   Hold her tight—and be blessed!

 ^19-20 With Lady Wisdom, God formed Earth;
   with Madame Insight, he raised Heaven.
They knew when to signal rivers and springs to the surface,
   and dew to descend from the night skies.

Never Walk Away

 ^21-26 Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
   don't for a minute lose sight of them.
They'll keep your soul alive and well,
   they'll keep you fit and attractive.
You'll travel safely,
   you'll neither tire nor trip.
You'll take afternoon naps without a worry,
   you'll enjoy a good night's sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
   or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
   he'll keep you safe and sound.


For Reflection
The world is full or well schooled but uneducated people, people who know all the rules and can site scripture on any topic but who lack the ability to apply all that they know to righteous living.  It is like working in a university school of communication where none of the faculty can communicate well enough to get along.

Perhaps what is missing is a superordinate principle.  For Christians the belief that God is the source of all wisdom and the conviction that He will make it all good may be that principle.  The psalmist speaks of the power of such God derived wisdom.  The result of embracing God's wisdom is a life of confident hope.  Nothing seems to beat the wisdom of God's abiding love and protection.

Pray
that you live a life free from the burden of unexpected alarm.  Pray that you give your life over to God and have confidence that he will keep you safe and sound.  Pray that you will accept the God derived wisdom and have the courage for such wisdom to be the foundation of you righteous life.