WHY WISDOM OVER WEALTH

Proverbs 8:10-21 (KJV)

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

There is wisdom in allowing the Bible to speak for itself and to set it’s own schedule.

We have learned, so far, some valuable and practical lessons regarding:

·   Finances,

·   Stewardship and

·   Success,

but we have also had lessons as we have worked through the Proverbs, that dealt with the “whys” of biblical stewardship.

It is good that we go back to these “whys” pretty regularly to remind us why we ought to learn and practice the practical things.

It is in our nature to forget the good reasons to do a thing and slip into old worldly patterns of behavior.

So what we find is that Proverbs gives us:

·   Some benefits of biblical stewardship and then

·   Some lessons in biblical stewardship and follows that with

·   Some reminders of the benefits of biblical stewardship

This passage gives to why we ought to choose wisdom over wealth

Notice first of all

I. THE PRIORITY OF WISDOM

Proverbs 8:10-11 (KJV)

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

·   If given the choice between instruction or silver – choose instruction

·   If offer the option of knowledge or choice gold – choose knowledge

There is no form of wealth in this world that can be compared to getting:

·   Instruction

·   Knowledge and

·   Wisdom

We keep wisdom, but wealth is always fleeting.

Matthew 6:19 (KJV)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Every form of earthly treasure falls victim to:

·   Natural decay

·   Pests and predators and

·   Criminal elements

If you own anything, eventually

·   Time will takes its toll or else

·   Some kind of pest will get into it or else

·   Someone will think they should make what’s yours, theirs

But there is no natural disaster that can take from you the wisdom you have gained through instruction and experience

·   There is no pest that can chew it up

·   There is no thief that can take it from you

Age might slow your mind down so you can recall the wisdom you have gained, but if you are saved, it still belongs to you and will be with you in eternity.

Matthew 6:20 (KJV)

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Notice secondly

II. THE FRUIT OF WISDOM

Proverbs 8:18-19 (KJV)

Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

The wisdom of Proverbs is not worldly wisdom but that wisdom that comes from a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

This wisdom produces a special kind of fruit in the believers.

Pay particular attention to two words:

A. Honor

The word comes from a term that means, “to make heavy.”

1. It has, among other things, the idea of being dense and abundant.

The man who possesses honor is one who has substance.

He isn’t shallow and flighty.

He possesses:

·   Convictions

·   Character and

·   Conscience

2. It also means, “hard and insensitive.”

This is the kind of person you can respect.

·   He isn’t driven with the wind and tossed.

·   He makes a decision and stays with it.

·   He isn’t ruled by his emotions.

To him, right is right and he stands by right.

You may not always agree with him, but you never have to wonder what he thinks about a thing.

Robert E Lee was this sort of man.

You probably don’t agree with his decision to fight for the confederacy but, if you lived in his day, you probably admired him for it.

He loved his country and had risked his life for it.

But when his country threatened his state and the people of it, he defended his state.

Even though he lost the war, he was still honored the rest of his life.

The second fruit of wisdom is

B. Righteousness

The operable word that describes this righteousness is “durable.”

“…durable riches and righteousness.”

Wisdom produces the fruit of righteousness, which is everlasting:

·   It endures

·   It is durable

Someone said to me that where a Christian could ever become a non Christian is a huge debate among Christians.

I told him that it is no debate to me. I just read the Bible.

Throughout the Word of God you find verses like this one that tell us that the Christian has been given a righteousness that endures forever.

If you can lose it, it doesn’t endure forever.

Notice finally,

III. THE INHERITANCE OF WISDOM

Proverbs 8:20-21 (KJV)

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

The person who chooses wisdom over wealth has made the right choice because, in the end, he receives the wealth as well as the wisdom.

Let me point out that

There is a kind of treasure that isn’t dependent on money

·   Family

·   Dignity

·   Contentment

for instance, are not dependent upon any money and yet the person who has them is a wealthy person.

·   Some of the wealthiest people who ever lived had little of this world’s goods.

·   Some of them lost that wealth trying to gain the other sort of riches.

Benedict Arnold was an American war hero and right hand man to General George Washington.

Arnold’s reputation placed him in favor of the most influential people in the United States.

But he was not content with that.

He wanted wealth and promotion and betrayed the country to get them.

In the end he had no respect, few friends and no wealth.

Conclusion

God tells us to desire instruction, knowledge and wisdom instead of riches because, through them, we will gain:

·   Honor and

·   Righteousness

which will endure forever AND

He will lead us to treasures too.