July 20, 2024

Rēad to Read …Again

Daily Reading: Proverbs 22-23

Proverbs 23:23

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Four things every person should buy.  Truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding.  The cost to buy and maintain these things may involve money, but it is much more costly than mere money.  Consider the purchase price.

Time.  One must spend time to obtain, retain, and maintain these four things.  Time set aside for them as one would set aside money for retirement, or to purchase a new home.  Time is valuable.  Ask any busy and successful person.  They can make more money, but they cannot make more time. One hundred and sixty eight hours a week is all humans are budgeted.  More time cannot be borrowed.  Someone once said that the 168 hours in a week are like soldiers.  Every general should use them wisely.

Humility.  To acquire these four items, one must forsake pride and put on humility.  For example, only a humble person can receive instruction.  Those who in their pride think they are smarter than the rest can learn nothing. They often are even offended that someone would even think that they need instruction.  The same with wisdom, understanding, and truth. Those who suffer the ailment of pride will not shop for these things for they believe they already possess them.

Thought.  Thought is work.  It is far easier to just sail through life, going with the flow, and mindlessly drone on.  Henry Ford said, “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.”  Someone no one has ever heard of said, “The rich are too indolent, the poor too weak, to bear the insupportable fatigue of thinking.” 

Discipline. Not being chastised, but rather having character that is disciplined.  Meaning a person does that which they should, instead of that which they may want.  To receive truth, one must reject falsehood; to gain wisdom, one must understand they have a lack thereof; to be instructed takes continual practice, and to get understanding takes experience that is usually accompanied by failure.  For example, a soldier needs to live a disciplined life: keeping their bodies ready through exercise, their equipment in top notch working order all the time, their minds prepared for the mission, and a willingness to obey their orders. 

Money.  These four traits will cost money.  Paying tuition for classes perhaps or paying for lessons from a professional.  Maybe the most money spent on these four items is the money lost by not having them.

Change.  Each of these four attributes demand the person gaining them to change.  After all, what good is truth if it does not chase away error.  Or wisdom if it does not cause foolishness to flee, or instruction, or understanding if they do not make a difference in one’s thoughts and actions. The ability to grow, mature, and change are keys to living a Bible based life. Not change in the rebellious sense, but rather to improve.  After all the largest room in all the world is the room for improvement. Improvement is change, no one can improve unless something in their thoughts and actions are altered.  God’s truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding will change a person through what we commonly call repentance: which is a change of heart, mind, and action.

Yes, indeed, the price for these four great qualities is high. No wonder so few purchase them.

Dr. William T. Howe