For the month of October, we are answering the challenge John Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church in Grenada, MS, laid out — the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Each day, we are going to read through a chapter of Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month.
This fits with what we have studied in Colossians, specifically Colossians 3:1-2, namely that we should seek “the things that are above, where Christ is” and set our minds like a thermostat “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Imagine what a month meditating on God’s Word daily can do for us.
Won’t you join us on this #DailyWisdomChallenge and set your minds on Christ?
Proverbs 23:23 caught my attention and made me think about the importance of our time in the #DailyWisdomChallenge. Wisdom and knowledge can very easily be treated as a commodity to be sold, traded, and purchased. In our lives, we encounter a lot of distractions that tempt us to chase after fleeting pleasures and material gain. Yet, the wisdom set forth in this verse calls us to prioritize truth — God’s Truth (John 14:6) — above all else, recognizing that it is the foundation for a life of godliness and integrity (Proverbs 4:5-7).
In John Bunyan’s classic allegory Pilgrim’s Progress, he illustrates this challenge by showing his pilgrims traveling through a place called Vanity Fair, a marketplace filled with tempting goods that represent the vanities and temptations of this world. Merchants call out to the pilgrims to “Buy, buy, buy — buy this, and buy that”, but the pilgrims resolutely stand firm and declare, “We buy the truth!” They know that the truth — along with wisdom and understanding — is far more valuable than the fleeting pleasures of the world.
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus shares two parables that beautifully show the value of the truth. Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a hidden treasure found in a field along with a merchant searching for valuable pearls. When the treasure is discovered and the merchant finds a “pearl of great price”, they joyfully sell everything they have to have them. The things of God are more valuable than the things of this world. Just as the pilgrims in Vanity Fair chose truth over worldly good, we are called to recognize the value of Jesus — Truth incarnate.
To “buy the truth” means to be willing to sacrifice our time, energy, and even material wealth for the sake of gaining knowledge and understanding, but when we actively seek the God of Truth, whether through studying the Word, praying, or discipleship, we are investing in something that will enrich our lives and guide our hearts (2 Timothy 2:15).
In a world filled with voices vying for our attention, let us look to God’s wisdom in Proverbs 23:23. We are literally in a season when political pundits are spending billions of dollars — on both sides of battle — and peddling truths, mistruths, and false truths. There are people on both sides who, even when presented with truth contrary to what they believe or want to believe, refuse to listen to truth because they have bought what their particular candidate is selling. When faced with such things, may our response be to look to Christ and affirm our commitment: “We buy the truth! We buy the truth! Jesus is the Truth!” In doing so, we seek God’s knowledge, God’s wisdom, God’s instruction, and God’s understanding. His ways are best. His truth is absolute. May we forever side with Him and be satisfied in Him!
Just Keith Harris 