A different kind of Treasure

"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity." - Proverbs 2:1-7

A quick read of Proverbs 2 reveals how highly valued wisdom was in the Old Testament. The writer speaks of wisdom as a hidden treasure, and how God grants this treasure to those who walk in his ways. I believe that wisdom is still highly valued and we should still seek it with all our hearts. 

Our world has no shortage of information, but in general we lack Godly wisdom. What do you feel?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Tuning in

Over the last 4 weeks I have found myself tuning into the radio and TV channels more than I have done so for months. Just like many of you, I have been keen to know what is happening with the Corona Pandemic and to hear how things are unfolding all around us. On occasions, I have even skipped from one news bulletin to another, all with the hope of finding some good news to hold onto.

When Solomon speaks about the benefits of Wisdom he encourages the listeners to "tune your ears to wisdom and concerntrate on understanding" (Proverbs 2:2 - NLT).

The purpose of his call to "tune in" to wisdom is to charge people with the responsibility of searching for the right news. There is so much fake news going around, that it is imperative that we listen out for the most reliable sources of information, as these will inform us and guide us into the correct paths.

"God grants a treasure of common sense to the honest." v.7

"Then you will understand what is right, just and fair." v.9

Socrates sums up a good understanding of seeking wisdom and to know the things of God:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Benjamin Franklin and Proverbs

Benjamin Franklin died on the 17^th April 1790. Along with his inventions such as the lighting rod and bifocals, he contributed enormously to an annual publication called Poor Richard’s Almanack. He wrote under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders and contributed a lot of content for the magazine. 

What I find interesting is how some of these little sayings gradually crept into the English language and we still use some of them today, albeit in slightly altered forms. Here are a few examples:

“No gains without pains.”
“Don’t throw stones at your neighbors, if your own windows are glass.”
“There never was a good war or a bad peace.”

“Lost time is never found again.”
“Haste makes waste.”

“A true friend is the best possession.”

Wise sayings are wonderful to remember and to then try and live our lives by, however I still believe that the words of Scripture have lasted much longer than Franklins and they continue to offer Godly advice for anyone who is willing to listen. Take the following words from Proverbs 2 as an example:

“My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do.  

Listen to what is wise and try to understand it.

Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. 

Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure.

If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God.  It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:1-6

May God bless you today and remember to use your words wisely.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Panning for Gold

Panning for Gold can be a very tiring job, often with little reward. However, when a prospector perseveres in their panning the rewards can be life changing. Solomon writes to us in Proverbs 2 and encourages us to search for Wisdom as if we were prospectors panning for gold. When we find Godly wisdom the rewards will be unbelievable.


^"Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;

    collect my counsels and guard them with your life.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;
    set your heart on a life of Understanding.
That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,
    and won’t take no for an answer,
Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,
    like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;
    you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God." - Proverbs 2:1-5 (Message)

Let us earnestly search for Wisdom in the new year and may the Spirit of God guide us in all our decisions.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A 2nd test - Lent #3

Job's second test came from an unlikely source... his wife. She had seen all the destruction that had come upon her family and so she urged Job to turn his back on God.

"His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’" - Job 2:9

However, she was not just asking him to turn away from God, but also to give up his integrity. Out of anyone, Job had the best reasons to turn away from the Lord, but he knew that he couldn't. In fact, he was even able to reason with his wife.

^"He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’" - v.10

He makes a powerful point. Why is it that we are always happy to accept "blessings" and good things as if they have come from God, but as soon as we face trouble, we are tempted to turn our backs on God. And so, despite his heartache and pain, Job was still able to believe in the grace and goodness of God. He was a wise man.

Is it possible that there is some connection between Job's experience and that of Solomon in Proverbs 2: 16-19:


16Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
¹⁷ who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.
¹⁸ Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
¹⁹ None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.

Wisdom means trusting in God despite the circumstances around us and even when popular opinion suggests otherwise.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Lent #2 - Job and Proverbs

Over the course of the next 6 weeks I have committed to read and reflect on both the books of Job and Proverbs (with the Gospel of Matthew). As one digs deeper into the Scriptures there are so many things that stand out in these pages. In fact, it is not only that these messages stand out, but that they are also so practical for our lives today.

Take the opening lines of Job 1:
"There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil."

Imagine coming across a man of 'complete integrity' in a land of evil people. Job was a man who stood out from his peers, because he chose to avoid evil. This may seem like an easy thing to do, but we all know that temptation comes from all corners of the world.

Even when he was dealt the severe blow of losing his family, livestock and material possessions, Job still remained faithful to God. He is a remarkable human being.

Perhaps Solomon was writing of people like Job when he wrote these words in Proverbs 2:

 "For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
⁸ He guards the paths of the just
    and protects those who are faithful to him."

May the Lord enable us to walk with integrity today and to avoid temptation when it comes our way.

"Wisdom is knowing the right path to take. Integrity is taking it." - Unknown

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Job's prayer:

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
    and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
    and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”