A Plea for Wisdom: Chapter Two

Real Life Treasure
When I was in first grade, my family lived in Ingalls, Kansas. It was a sweet little town, complete with public school, two churches, post office, cafe and railroad tracks. Most families were reminded of the train tracks nightly - when the house would shake vehemently, always to my mom's joy.

There wasn't much to do in town, so my two brother's and I often had to create our own fun. We would play sports, ride our bikes (Jonathan and mine were named Lightning and Thunder, and we solved many mysteries riding our noble steeds). But there was one thing my brothers and I did which will always be implanted in my memory.

We searched for treasure.

Correction. I searched for treasure. My brother's were the masterminds - Ben Gates and Riley Poole. But without me - well - without me no treasure would ever have been found. "What was this treasure?" you ask.

Pop bottle caps. That's right. Back in the day, you could actually win things from a single bottle cap - none of this "enter a code" nonsense. And so, we three treasure-hunters sought for them. How we went about this was simple, yet so rare that one might say we were the only ones who could have come up with such a technique. Here's what happened.

My brother's would throw me into dumpsters, and I would dig around piles of garbage, looking for bottle caps. It can't quite be labeled "abuse," because it was consensual. You see, I was the third-born son with a younger sister. So, to be "needed" by my brothers was a treat. I don't remembering ever winning anything, and if we did, I am quite sure I did not share in the winnings. Yet, I spent many hours of my 1st-grade year wading through beer cans and banana peels - treasure hunting. 

Turning over Couch Cushions

Proverbs 2:4-5 says that those who search for wisdom "as for hidden treasure" will find it. That seems like a fair trade, right? After all, we search for many things "as for hidden treasure." 

I spend quality time browsing netflix for great movies to add to my wife and my queue. Lord knows how many hours I've spent researching cell phones and plans. Even today, my wife had to physically remove me from the pet aisle, because I was spending so much time investigating pet food ingredients, to see which offered the most nutrition for the cheapest price. 

We search high and low for all sorts of things. Pets, restaurants, hotels, plane tickets, spouses, etc. Why is it that we give up so easily searcing for wisdom? Growing up, if we wanted to watch a movie and could not find the remote, we would spend an hour flipping over couch cushions. 

How many cushions do we flip over in our pursuit of wisdom? Why do we give up the moment we realize its not a quick find? 

My Lucky Silver Coin

I have a lucky silver half-dollar that I have carried on my person since middle school. Every interview, acting performance, college exam and marriage proposal (I've only had one of those) has been with that coin in my right pocket. 

When I moved from Georgia to Minnesota I could not find that coin. I turned over my entire room, emptied my packed suitcases and cleaned my girlfriends car. It wasn't to be found. I don't think I cried, but I was close. An emptiness filled me every time I thought of it. When I unpacked, I continued searching for it, but again - nothing. It was not until months later that my wife found it hidden under the passenger seat of her car. 

I was so excited - so happy. All for a coin. 

The Value of Wisdom

This isn't the part where I talk about priorities. After all, I will continue looking for remotes my whole life (until they put computer chips in our fingers that can be used as remotes). I don't need to even encourage you to consider becoming more of a treasure-hunter. Every person was born to be a treasure-hunter - it's innate. 

Rather, this is the part where I suggest that there is a grand treasure hidden - valued beyond a city of gold (or remotes) that we have missed. This is wisdom. In the rest of chapter two, listen to how Solomon describes the individual who finds wisdom. 

- "Discretion will preserve you" (You will have the ability to make great decisions)

- "Understanding will keep you" (You will see situations more clearly and evaluate conversations better)

Wisdom will deliver you from...

- "the way of evil" (You will know when a situation is leading toward sin)

- "the man who speaks perverse things"

- "those who leave the paths of uprightness"

- those "who walk in the ways of darkness"

- those "who rejoice in evil doing" 

- those who "delight in the perversity of the wicked"

- those whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths"

- "the immoral woman - the seductress who flatters with her words...her path leads to death"

Wisdom will help you...

- "walk in the way of goodness"

- "keep to the paths of righteousness"

- "dwell in the land" (In both this life and the next, you will be a member of the kingdom of God and the many promises associate with that.)

Why Wisdom is Worth Searching for

Wisdom is the remote to your entire life. Without it, your life will be significantly worse than it could be. That's a little blunt, but it's just the case. Wisdom keeps you silent when you want to chew someone out. Wisdom keeps you humble when you want to brag. Wisdom gives you words of comfort when you aren't sure what to say. Wisdom helps in making big decisions. Wisdom gives you a correct view of God. 

And the pursuit of wisdom - the constant plea for wisdom - keeps you on your knees and in the Word. As much as God hates pride, He equally loves wisdom. It is a treasure worth pursuing.