The theme for the upcoming GEMS season is Get Wisdom: Go beyond the Gold! It’s a theme topic that encourages girls and women to fear God and walk wisely on the highway of the upright. These are the verses that correspond to this theme: Proverbs 9:10 and Proverbs 16:16-17.
GET WISDOM: GO BEYOND THE GOLD!
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!
Proverbs 16:16
Recently I watched a Francis Chan video where he pointed out the difference between knowing God’s Word and obeying it. He used the example of telling his daughter to go clean her room. What if his daughter came to him and said things like, “Hey, dad, I memorized the phrase, ‘Go clean your room.’” Or, “I can say ‘Go clean your room’ in Greek.” Or, “My friends and I are going to get together once a week and study what it means to go clean my room.” Obviously, none of those things matter until she does what she was told – cleans her room!
God tells us in His Word, that it is better to get wisdom than wealth. But is that what we are doing? Are we obeying that command? According to a July 2010 Barna Group report, “No!” There’s been a shift in American’s priorities. Since a 2006 study, Americans (I’m assuming this is true for North America as a whole) have an increased emphasis on “wealth, financial stability, money, professional attainment, success, and paying bills. These types of priorities have nearly doubled over the past four years.” What’s lost ground is the percentage of Americans who say their top priority is family and faith. “Despite the fact that more than three-quarters of adults identify themselves as Christians and nearly nine out of 10 Americans believe in God, matters of ‘faith’ are surprisingly rare when Americans choose their highest priority in life.”
Proverbs 16:16 says, How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! We can memorize that verse, learn it in Greek, study it as counselor teams, and within small groups of girls, but none of those things matter until we do what we’ve been told – go get wisdom!
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with owning things like gold, silver, or other items on our wish list. What God wants us to understand in these verses is that if we must make a choice between getting wisdom or getting things, choose wisdom! It’s the best choice! The things of this world won’t help us walk wisely or give true joy, but wisdom will. Proverbs 8:10-11, Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
What is it that you most desire? If Barna contacted you and asked what your highest priority is today, what would you say? Would your answer be proven or falsified by your choices, credit card receipts, and checkbook register?
Wisdom Step: If getting wealth has trumped getting wisdom in your life, what course correction will you make today?
If you want wisdom, you must “seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures” (Proverbs 2:4). That means work! It means taking time to read, mediate, pray, and put truth into practice.
Warren W. Wiersbe
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