My friend clearly wanted a boat! First he began to talk about getting a nice boat… then he’d drag me along with him to look at boats… Then boating magazines and promotional pieces began to appear all over his house (in fact, you really couldn’t sit down anywhere in his house without finding one)… But his wife was resistant (she argued, “Hon, I don’t know how we can afford a boat!”) That didn’t stop him – he began writing down all the features he wanted in a boat and even began doing comparative shopping… Yup you guessed it – what was originally just a “pipe-dream” was clearly becoming an “intention!” Then came the “finance finagling” and you found yourself saying, “Just watch, he’s going to find a way to get the boat that he wants!” And finally, my friend got it (even if he couldn’t really afford it)!… And there it was sitting outside his garage in all its glory like a trophy he’d finally won. We get what we pursue and desire with all our hearts! This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” this thought entered my mind… Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we pursued godly wisdom with the same desire, passion, purpose and intensity as my friend pursued getting his boat… Here’s the passage that prompted that thought…
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, THEN you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God! For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech!” (Proverbs 2:1–12 ESV)
You know what? I’ve decided that getting godly wisdom is more important than a boat (or any other selfish pursuit I might desire)… Just ask Solomon (when he pursued godly wisdom he discovered every other wonderful gift of God came along with it). I don’t know about you, but I’m going to pursue godly wisdom with purpose and passion!
