If you seek her (wisdom) as silver and search for her (wisdom) as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.                                                                                                    

                                                                                                Proverbs 2:4-5 

Today: Read Proverbs 2

Today, we are reminded that the greatest investment we can make with our time is in the pursuit of wisdom. Solomon personifies wisdom as he instructs us to pursue her as we would silver or hidden treasure. Jesus has much to teach us on this subject as well. Like Solomon instructing us to pursue wisdom, Jesus gives us the source of that wisdom:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

                                                                                                   Matthew 6:33 

I believe the most important portion of this passage is in the word “first.” First implies priority. It brings with it the idea that absolutely nothing is of more importance than the pursuit of God’s kingdom and His righteousness. This is where the gospel is truly beautiful. As we place our faith in Christ, we become heirs of God’s kingdom. Also by faith, we are declared right with God as the righteousness of Christ is credited to our spiritual account. Both being declared heirs to the kingdom and receiving the righteousness of Christ come through faith. So as we seek first these things, we are declaring that these possessions are of the utmost importance to us. Our salvation and our right standing with God become our spiritual treasure and why wouldn’t they since both affect our lives here on earth and in eternity.

Jesus also addresses the issue of treasure when He says:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

                                                                                                Matthew 6:19-21 

Christ addresses three things in this passage. First, we are not to make the pursuit of material wealth the priority of our lives. In other words, Jesus tells us what not to pursue. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.” And where does the priority for many in the world seem to lie? Many make the pursuit of material wealth the focus of their efforts. I do not believe Jesus is teaching against working hard and making a living rather He is demonstrating the lack of wisdom we exercise when we pursue, as our treasure, the very things we cannot keep. To be materially wealthy but be spiritually bankrupt is truly the most tragic situation in which people can find themselves (Luke 9:25).

Secondly, Jesus instructs us on what we should be pursuing. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Wisdom dictates that we live our lives with the end in mind. “Storing up treasure in heaven”, indicates that we are truly seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness. We should always recognize that the time we have on earth is a gift to be spiritually invested in kingdom work. If we are not making an eternal impact on the lives of those around us, we are operating in the temporal only.

Thirdly, Jesus reveals that a person’s treasure reveals the person’s heart. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” As we examine our lives, it would be wise for us to ask the question, “How much time do I spend in spiritual matters as opposed to those things that are only temporal?” Our spiritual well being as well as the spiritual well being of our friends and family should be our greatest treasure and priority. If our hearts are right with God and if He is our greatest treasure, we demonstrate that we are truly walking in wisdom.

But Solomon also gives us two outcomes to pursing wisdom. He tells us that as we seek wisdom, we will be able to “discern the fear of the Lord.” I like what Paul says in this area of discerning the things of God. Consider the following: 

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.                                                                                                  

                                                                                                     Romans 12:1-2

As we avoid conforming to the world and rather become transformed, we are able to discern God’s will. We do this by renewing our minds and the best way to insure that your mind is being renewed is to spend time daily in the word of God. Discernment is the ability to “judge well.” It is the capacity to correctly assess a situation and then respond appropriately. To “prove”, as used by Paul, is to test, examine, and scrutinize to see if something is genuine. But discernment seems to be in short supply today. Intelligence and wisdom are two completely different things. Someone can be educated, highly skilled, and knowledgeable about the things of the world yet be grossly lacking in wisdom. Only when we pursue wisdom, making eternal things our treasure, and renewing our minds daily can we expect to rightly discern the will of God.

One final thought. Solomon tells us that pursuing wisdom will allow us to discover the knowledge of God. Again, Jesus addresses the issue of pursuing and finding: 

Ask (keep asking), and it will be given to you; seek (keep seeking), and you will find; knock (keep knocking), and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

                                                                                                Matthew 7:7-8

Our discovery of the things of God comes as we continue to seek Him every day. This passage reveals that the actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are continual pursuits. As we engage in these recurrent actions, Jesus declares that we will receive, that we will find, and that the door will be opened. This truth is also expressed in the Old Testament when God declares that, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me will all of your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). It is this type of persistent, relentless pursuit of God and His kingdom that demonstrates we are operating in and pursing wisdom.

Have you made Christ the priority of your life? Are you living with eternity in mind? Are you relentlessly pursing wisdom that comes from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ? The answers to these questions should allow you to accurately answer the question, “What do you treasure?”