“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” (KJV, Prov. 8:10-11).
“Receive my instruction”
Father, You are the Most High God. You are the Ruler of all the earth. Your dominion knows no bounds, and Your reign is from everlasting to everlasting. You are worthy of giving instruction. I thank You for Your Word today. I know that in Your Word, You seek to talk with me.
Nevertheless, sometimes I neglect reading Your Word. When I do, my heart grows dull, and I begin to wander from Your intended path. I have heard it said, “Either the Bible will keep me from sin, or sin will keep me from the Bible.” I recognize this to be so.
Teach me to draw near to You to receive instruction. However, I also pray that You would help me to be receptive to Your Word rather than offended by it.
Jesus has told me, “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt. 13:23). My growth is about more than simply hearing Your Word. I read of my need to both hear Your Word and understand it.
Father, would You please prepare the soil of my heart? Teach me to receive Your Word and help me to understand it. I realize I need the Spirit for such a task. I cannot truly understand spiritual matters apart from Your Holy Spirit. Therefore, I pray that You would increase the Spirit’s activity in my life. May I become less, and may He become greater.
In Acts 2, Peter shared a marvelous sermon in which many were saved. You honored his efforts and poured your Spirit upon the people. But then the Bible says, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand” (Acts 2:41).
They did not just receive the Word, but they received it with gladness. Herein I see a flaw in my own life at times. I do not always receive Your Word or instruction with gladness. However, I am made aware of the importance of a glad reception.
Thus I am convinced that the soil of my heart will be more profitable when I learn to grow in gladness. Therefore, help me to rejoice in Your Word and be delighted in Your instruction.
“and not silver”
Herein I find a challenge that I must face. I am to receive Your instruction over that of silver. It does not take long for me to see there are times when money gets in the way of my relationship with You. You are worth more than all the silver and gold. Your value cannot be overstated. But Your Word warns me often that when my heart is set upon silver rather than You, I am far from Your heart.
You have told me, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity” (Eccl. 5:10). Help me never to forget Your Word.
No matter how much money I make, it will never satisfy me. Thus, I must never set my heart upon it, for it is vanity and a striving after the wind. Teach me to look to You and not to silver. Teach me the words of Christ that where my treasure is, there will be my heart.
“and knowledge”
Instead of silver, may I seek to grow in my knowledge and understanding of You. It takes time to increase in knowledge, and it takes time to make money. I know that I must have money to live.
However, I also see that money should not be my ultimate pursuit in life. Therefore, I find that the line must be drawn, and I must never put down my sword in this battle.
You have told me, “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Pr. 2:3-5). So, Father, I lift my voice to You. I cry out to You that You would guard my heart and bless me with knowledge.
I realize that knowledge of You is eternal life, for Jesus has told me, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). So reveal Yourself to me today, and let me glimpse eternal life.
You have also told me to buy knowledge, for Your Word says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Pr. 23:23). Thus, You have repeatedly instructed me that knowledge of You is more important than money.
Therefore, I must give up money to lay hold of You. I must buy knowledge and should never get rid of it for the sake of acquiring wealth.
“rather than choice gold”
You told me that instruction is more excellent than silver. Now I see that knowledge is better than choice gold. Teach me to seek Your kingdom first and Your righteousness. May I always pursue You, and may You always be my top priority.
Protect me from the wiles of the devil. Guard me against the lies that make me believe I need to take financial matters into my hands because You will not provide. Teach me what it means that You are my Father.
I see that Judas loved money. His example has been given to me, and I would do well never to forget it. Ultimately, Judas was led astray by His love of money and sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Had a love of Christ been magnified in Judas’ heart and purged out his love for money, he would have been repulsed at the temptation.
However, he gave in as the Scripture has said, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:9-10).
“For wisdom is better than rubies”
Thank You for the constant reminder that wisdom is better than rubies. You have shown me the way of wisdom and the way of foolishness. Jesus has instructed me to build my house upon a rock rather than sand. I see that Solomon prayed for wisdom when he took over the kingdom.
You blessed him with wisdom and helped him immensely. Later, James tells me to pray for wisdom, and if I believe You will give me wisdom, then You will.
Increase my faith, Lord. Help me to believe that You will answer my prayers. Give me wisdom so I can honor You in my life and glorify You in all I do.
“and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it”
In actuality, wisdom is far better than all that may be desired. Of wisdom, it is said, “Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly; as far as light excelleth darkness” (Eccl. 2:13). Therefore, wisdom is to be prized and earnestly sought after. Truly, the divide between wisdom and folly cannot be measured.
Sometimes I can grow weak. I find there are times when I have little strength left in me. But Your Word is a sure guide for me, for it tells me, “Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city” (Eccl. 7:19).
I will be strengthened as I grow in wisdom for wisdom.
Lord, teach me to walk in Your ways. Please show me the fleeting nature of this life and cause me to look upon my life with an eternal perspective. Please help me not to be entangled with the ways and pursuits of the world. May I always prize You, Your Word, and Your ways above all else. In Jesus’ name, Amen.