Prov. 23:23

"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding" Prov. 23:23

In a Beatles song, the wizards of rock sang these words, "Money can't buy you love." Despite the truth of these words, most of us continue to accumulate wealth hoping that we can buy, if not love, at least happiness. It amazes me how fast purchased happiness drains into the mundane then into the realms of drudgery.

Solomon, in his vast wisdom, tells his son that two things can, and should, be bought - truth and wisdom. The two are not the same, though many people try to make them that way. Nor is wisdom gained at the same time that knowledge is attained. Wisdom is based upon truth. Wisdom is the life application of knowledge in a good and just way. Money can buy knowledge; that is why we send our children to the best university we can afford. We want them to gain knowledge, vast amounts of knowledge, because we know that they will need it in the every day life of adulthood.

Wisdom is purchased with a currency that is not printed by the Government of Hong Kong. Nor does any government or set of government coin that currency. The currency with which one buys wisdom is time. Effective use of the time currency begins at birth as the mother and the father begin the decades long instructions that will mold an infant into a productive adult. The parents invest the initial currency because Junior has nothing to invest. He is more interested in eating, sleeping, and dirtying diapers. Eventually Junior learns to sit on Daddy's knee and listen to stories that Daddy and Mommy tell about their youth. He is now investing his own currency. If everything works out right, Junior will gain the seeds of wisdom in these precious moments. In due course, Junior will have gained enough wisdom in this manner to be able to water the seeds planted by his parents and reap sufficient harvest along the way to keep himself in God's paths. All the time he continues to gain more wisdom because wisdom begets wisdom.

Sad is the youth who ignores "the old man" and grows into adulthood as a fool. He saddens the heart of his parents. He makes a mockery of all that has been invested in him by family, teachers, pastors, and friends. His currency is wasted on debauchery and self-indulgence.

Let us buy truth and wisdom. It is never to late to begin our collection. Our collection can never be too big. And wisdom never goes out of date nor does it "spoil"! Amen and Amen.