Proverbs 4:1-16: a reflection

1Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding; 2for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law. 3For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother. 4He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live. 5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth. 6Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. 7Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. 8Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her. 9She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.” 10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many. 11I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths. 12When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble. 13Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. 14Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men. 15Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on. 16For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

In this passage, a father passes on to his son the wisdom he himself received from his own father, and he presses on him the supreme value of wisdom. Wisdom is the principal thing, he says; get wisdom, and though it cost all you have, get understanding. He urges his son to prize wisdom above all, to pursue it as the most valuable thing, worth any cost to obtain, worth giving up all his possessions to gain. Wisdom, in his eyes, is supreme.

Notice the supreme value the father places on wisdom: get it though it cost all you have. He does not treat wisdom as one good thing among many, to be pursued if convenient; he treats it as the most valuable thing, worth any cost, worth giving up everything else to obtain. Wisdom is the principal thing, worth pursuing above all; and he urges his son to prize it so, to pursue it as the supreme good, at whatever cost. To gain wisdom is worth losing much else.

That estimate of wisdom's value is worth taking to heart, for we often prize other things, wealth, success, pleasure, above wisdom, pursuing them while neglecting the pursuit of wisdom. But wisdom, the true wisdom that begins with the fear of the LORD, is worth more than all these, worth any cost to obtain. Prize wisdom as the supreme thing, worth pursuing above all, worth any cost. Do not neglect the pursuit of wisdom while chasing lesser things; get wisdom, though it cost you much, for it is worth more than all you might give for it. Pursue wisdom as the principal thing, above wealth and success and pleasure, willing to give up much to gain it; for the wisdom that begins in the fear of the LORD is supreme, worth more than all else, and worth any cost to obtain. Prize it, seek it, and give what you must to gain it, as the father urged his son.

Lord, in this passage a father passes on the wisdom he received from his own father, pressing on his son the supreme value of wisdom: wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom, and though it cost all you have, get understanding. Take that estimate of wisdom's value to my heart, for I often prize other things, wealth, success, pleasure, above wisdom, pursuing them while neglecting the pursuit of wisdom. But wisdom, the true wisdom that begins with the fear of you, is worth more than all these, worth any cost to obtain. Help me prize wisdom as the supreme thing, worth pursuing above all, worth any cost. Keep me from neglecting the pursuit of wisdom while chasing lesser things; help me get wisdom, though it cost me much, for it is worth more than all I might give for it. Help me pursue wisdom as the principal thing, above wealth and success and pleasure, willing to give up much to gain it; for the wisdom that begins in the fear of you is supreme, worth more than all else, and worth any cost to obtain. Help me prize it, seek it, and give what I must to gain it, Lord, as the father urged his son. Give me true wisdom, and help me prize it above all.