"Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it."
Proverbs 8:10-11
It's interesting to me how many people play the lottery even though the odds of winning are not even fathomable. Yet people continue to play because, well, someone's going to win. If you look at the people that play the lottery, you'll see that most of the people could be using this money to dig themselves out of debt or save it to get enough to take a class on a subject that would help them get a better job or get a promotion in the job they have. They would rather throw their money at an astronomically small chance of winning a ridiculous amount of money than use it to systematically improve their station in life. That's why the lottery is considered to be a tax on the mathematically challenged.
But, as they say, someone is going to win... and someone does win... and they're set for life!!
Except for one thing. Have you ever watched the shows where they find out what happened to the people 5 or 10 years after they won the lottery. Many times they're lives are worse off than before they bought the winning ticket. How can this be? They have all that money!! How can they have ANY problems?
The problem isn't the money - it's them! They don't have any wisdom. They didn't know how to handle the little bit of money they had before, now that they have piles of it and they still don't know how to manage it. So it slips through their fingers faster than sand at the beach. What they need is wisdom!
How does a person get wisdom? My grandfather would joke about getting his degree from the University of Hard Knocks. Basically, he was saying that he banged his head so many times on so many things trying to find the one pathway that would lead him to what he was looking for that he eventually had enough wisdom to equal a college degree. As he tried everything he could think of he would learn a little more, and a little more, and along the way he accumulated a wealth of wisdom. He tried to share it with anyone who would listen but you know how it is - people share their advice but we don't really accept other peoples wisdom. We don't really accept it until we learn it the hard way - until we get OUR degree from the University of Hard Knocks.
In Chapter 8, a new woman is introduced. The woman is named "Wisdom". She is trying to direct us to the path of righteousness. She is shouting from the hilltops for anyone who will listen to her to follow her advice. She pleads for us to listen to her because her words are truthful and wholesome. She says to seek knowledge and wisdom above all else, even silver, gold or rubies. With wisdom comes an enduring wealth and justice. With wisdom comes good judgement and a joyful life. With wisdom you'll be able to discern the truth and identify dangerous situations that could cost you greatly. You'll know the truth and the truth will set you free!
Was there something that you liked about Proverbs 8 that you'd like to share with the group? Feel free to post your comments or questions. I look forward to discussing them with you.
The Shepherd
Return to The Proverbs Challenge
Proverbs 8:10-11
It's interesting to me how many people play the lottery even though the odds of winning are not even fathomable. Yet people continue to play because, well, someone's going to win. If you look at the people that play the lottery, you'll see that most of the people could be using this money to dig themselves out of debt or save it to get enough to take a class on a subject that would help them get a better job or get a promotion in the job they have. They would rather throw their money at an astronomically small chance of winning a ridiculous amount of money than use it to systematically improve their station in life. That's why the lottery is considered to be a tax on the mathematically challenged.
But, as they say, someone is going to win... and someone does win... and they're set for life!!
Except for one thing. Have you ever watched the shows where they find out what happened to the people 5 or 10 years after they won the lottery. Many times they're lives are worse off than before they bought the winning ticket. How can this be? They have all that money!! How can they have ANY problems?
The problem isn't the money - it's them! They don't have any wisdom. They didn't know how to handle the little bit of money they had before, now that they have piles of it and they still don't know how to manage it. So it slips through their fingers faster than sand at the beach. What they need is wisdom!
How does a person get wisdom? My grandfather would joke about getting his degree from the University of Hard Knocks. Basically, he was saying that he banged his head so many times on so many things trying to find the one pathway that would lead him to what he was looking for that he eventually had enough wisdom to equal a college degree. As he tried everything he could think of he would learn a little more, and a little more, and along the way he accumulated a wealth of wisdom. He tried to share it with anyone who would listen but you know how it is - people share their advice but we don't really accept other peoples wisdom. We don't really accept it until we learn it the hard way - until we get OUR degree from the University of Hard Knocks.
In Chapter 8, a new woman is introduced. The woman is named "Wisdom". She is trying to direct us to the path of righteousness. She is shouting from the hilltops for anyone who will listen to her to follow her advice. She pleads for us to listen to her because her words are truthful and wholesome. She says to seek knowledge and wisdom above all else, even silver, gold or rubies. With wisdom comes an enduring wealth and justice. With wisdom comes good judgement and a joyful life. With wisdom you'll be able to discern the truth and identify dangerous situations that could cost you greatly. You'll know the truth and the truth will set you free!
Was there something that you liked about Proverbs 8 that you'd like to share with the group? Feel free to post your comments or questions. I look forward to discussing them with you.
The Shepherd
Return to The Proverbs Challenge
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