The Priority of Wisdom

KEY VERSE: “Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” —Proverbs 4:7

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 4:1-13

SOLOMON’S OWN WISDOM was displayed in asking God to bless him with understanding rather than with riches, but the wisdom he displays in his writings must be credited to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The Book of Proverbs was written by Solomon. It is styled, “The proverbs of Solomon, the Son of David, king of Israel.” Solomon ascended the throne of Israel as a young man. He became renowned for his wisdom, and the Book of Proverbs reveals that he well deserved the reputation which he gained.

True, we look upon Proverbs as one of the inspired books of the Bible, and we know that Solomon’s wisdom was a special gift of God to him, yet he was a fitting instrument through which these nuggets of truth relative to practically every walk of life, as well as the divine plan, are set forth for our instruction.

The opening verses of the book lay down a most fundamental rule for the attaining of understanding. Verse 5 sums up the thought in this way: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” How true! One of the outstanding manifestations of true wisdom is the willingness to listen to the counsel of others. A person who goes through life disregarding the viewpoints of others, who insists always upon being heard, and is never willing to listen, lives in a very small world—the world of his own conclusions, and restricted thoughts.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,” writes Solomon. Personifying wisdom, he wrote, “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.” But how may we be sure of attaining true wisdom? Where is the fountain source of this most precious treasure? Failure to discover the answer to this question has resulted in the vast majority of searchers failing to find ‘her’.

It is always possible to learn a few things from our fellow men. Man, by comparing his understanding with other men, can increase his knowledge to some extent. But wisdom thus attained is limited. The real source of our understanding is the Creator, our Heavenly Father. In his Word is treasured up that which “maketh wise the simple.” But alas, how few there are who are willing to accept the authority of the Bible, yet by scorning the marvelous wisdom set forth in its sacred pages they keep their own understanding stunted, and go through life without knowing why they live, and what their final destiny will be.

And among those who profess to have confidence in the Bible there are many who show a disposition to teach the Book, instead of being taught by it. It is as though they would tell the Lord what his plan ought to be, rather than being willing to listen to the instructions of his Word as to what he has designed for them and for the race.

Our relationship to God is in this respect similar to our relationship to one another. Just as we can be poor listeners when in the presence of our fellows, so we can be poor listeners to what God may have to say to us. In the first case, the result is barrenness of understanding which could be ours, but in the latter case the result is tragic, for it means that we close our minds to the riches of knowledge and understanding concerning God and his plan which comes down from above.

The Apostle James wrote, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth of all men liberally, and upbraideth not.” (James 1:5) The wisdom which God gives in answer to the prayers of his faithful people is a wisdom which is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17) Only those fully consecrated to God are prepared to receive such wisdom, and only these are able to appreciate its value, to know that it Is a reflection of the character of God, a revealing of the principles which govern all his purposes toward mankind.

Solomon concludes the matter in these words: “Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.”—Eccles. 12:13,14

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