Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding
I think all of us admire people who know where to find things of value, although what is valuable may be an object of debate. If you are in Southern Indiana, there are people who know how to find wild mushrooms because they know where to find them. Here on the Bill Rice Ranch, someone may know how to find arrowheads because they know where to find arrowheads. Someone may know how to find money because they know where to find money. All these things pale in significance compared to wisdom. There are those who know how to find wisdom because they know where to find wisdom. You will find wisdom with her companions, her requirements.
Proverbs 3:13 says, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” To be sure, it almost sounds like a pass of almost accidental things. Here is a guy walking along minding his own business when- whap- he bumps into wisdom and falls flat on his face. You don’t find wisdom that way. Finding wisdom is a bit more active. Verse 14 says, “For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.” There is a comparison here. Wisdom is better than, more than, or compared to.
Verse 16 says, “Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.” So, longevity, riches, and honor are all things people would want, but these are all secondary to wisdom and sometimes they are the result of wisdom. What I am saying is that God has wisdom; we need wisdom; and you will find wisdom when you know where to find her. You will find her when you search for her with her companions or requirements.
What are those companion requirements? First, wisdom requires a decision. It is a decision, not something you find passively. Proverbs 3:7 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” No arrogant person is going to have the wisdom of God. It is a decision, and it is never accidental. James 1 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” So, I have to know my need before I am going to be willing to ask, and I need to know where to ask. So, wisdom requires a decision; it is never accidental.
Second, wisdom requires a source. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the LORD giveth wisdom.” Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” So, it is who I know, not what I understand that is most important. I don’t understand everything, but I acknowledge God and He knows everything. Wisdom requires a source; this source is absolute. If I want wisdom, I have to go to the source. That is one of the great things about the book of Proverbs, God’s infinite wisdom has been compressed and edited. It is very actionable.
Third, you will find wisdom when you realize that wisdom requires a contrast. So, these verses say that you find wisdom that is better than the merchandise of silver and more precious than rubies. Many places in Proverbs you find contrasts and comparisons. Proverbs 16 has four such examples. Proverbs 16:8 says, “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with right.” Verse 16 says, “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!” Verse 19 says, “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Being proud is a dealbreaker for wisdom. Verse 32 says, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” The strongest person in the room is the one who can control self.
So, wisdom requires a contrast. I can’t be wise unless that is a contrast to foolishness. There has to be a difference. I can’t be “better” unless there is something that is “worser.” There is no good without comparison. There is no good without a than, a more than, or a better than. Wisdom requires a contrast.
There is a certain kind of wisdom that is important. Discernment is the ability to divide, to cut, to see distinctions where they exist. Don’t pit some ideal you have against the real choices on hand. You want the perfect home, the perfect life, the perfect car, the perfect job, the perfect boss, the perfect whatever. That is not an option. Don’t make yourself miserable by comparing the actual choices you have with an unrealistic ideal. Find out what your real choices are and discern. What is the difference between the two and what is better?
Someone has said that discipline is choosing what you really want instead of what you want right now. Right now, I want a Hershey bar, but what I really want is health. Wisdom itself is a choice and making a decision between two options is a choice.
God reveals His secret to those who submit to Him. Verse 32 says, “His [God’s] secret is with the righteous.” God knows the future. Have you ever made a wrong choice that seemed to be right at the time? Well, knowing what God wants is better than knowing what God knows. If you could know the future, think of how wise you could be. God is the one who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. You don’t need to be those things if you will just submit to the God who is. God knows what and He can show me what He wants me to do. If I’ll do what God wants me to do, I have the God of the universe behind those decisions.
So, wisdom requires a decision. You have to choose it every day. Wisdom requires an absolute source; that source has to be God. Wisdom requires a contrast; it is compared to something else. You will find wisdom today when you seek for her with her companions and requirements. The place to find wisdom is with the God who tells us that He gives wisdom.