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Proverbs 4:7

⁷The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Solomon is the author of most of the proverbs. When he became king in place of his father, David, God asked him what he desired. Solomon asked for understanding to rule the nation. This pleased God, and so God granted his request and promised much more (1 Kings 3:4-10). It is not surprising then that he would tell us that we should be passionate about wisdom and insight.

As we saw in the last devotion, wisdom is analogous to Jesus Christ. Both are said to be before creation and the instrument of creation. Certainly there is a worldly wisdom that has no part in the Lord, and yet we must understand the way the world thinks if we are to communicate in a meaningful way. True wisdom, however, is from God and is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). It sounds very much like the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Solomon saw that wisdom was worth more than anything the world had to offer. We can see from this that knowing Jesus and letting Him live in you and guide your life is the wisest way to live. Solomon mentions a number of worldly things that promise instant wealth and pleasure, but he wrote that they all lead to ruin. Only wisdom leads to life. Only a life in Jesus and His life in you is truly a life worth living that ends in eternal good.

Consider: Those that are truly wise will let Jesus direct their life. He is wisdom, and His Word is the source of true insight.