A Young Man Finds Treasure in a Clay Jarby emmanuel_higgins

Proverbs 3:15

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

She is wisdom, who is more precious than rubies, and nothing a person can desire can be compared to her, so that she is worth more than material wealth or any other sought-after good. Her gain and worth surpass silver and fine gold, jewels and precious stones and pearls, and no earthly riches can compare with her. This wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and is the principal thing to be gotten with understanding, by trusting God rather than one's own understanding, and it is found in God's Word and in Jesus Himself. Holding her fast brings long life and riches and honor, with pleasantness and peace and life to those who hold her. To secure her the first step is to give the heart to God and make the Bible the chief study, treasuring the Word in the heart and complying with God's plan, for even Solomon's great wisdom did not keep him from ruin when he gave in to lust and ceased to be faithful.

Wisdom's Surpassing Worth

She is wisdom, more precious than rubies, and nothing that can be desired can be compared to her, so that she is worth more than material wealth or any other sought-after good. Her gain and understanding are worth more than silver or fine gold, with long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, peace, and life for those who hold fast to her.

Her worth surpasses silver, fine gold, jewels, precious stones and pearls, and the spiritual riches she gives cannot be matched by earthly wealth. Even the richest mines cannot compare with her, for no fine gold nor anything else that can be desired equals her value. The wisdom to be sought is lasting inward worth rather than outward ornament, bringing happiness in this life and undimmed luster in the immortal future.

She is a heavenly treasure to be sought, whose surpassing value is found in God's Word. That heavenly treasure is more valuable than rubies, pearls, gold, silver, or anything else desired, and the Word that holds it brings long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, peace, and life to those who hold her fast.

Nature and Gifts of Wisdom

True wisdom begins with reverent fear of the Lord and is the principal thing to be gotten, to be sought with understanding. It is knowledge of the divinely ordained plan to bring humanity back into harmony with God so as to reflect the image of the Creator. That restoration comes by copying the one perfect pattern of the character of Christ through repentance and faith, surrender of the will, and consecration of the affections to God. Learning this plan and complying with its requirements is the first study and the first effort of life, and its gain surpasses silver and gold and jewels in worth, so that none of the things a person can desire can be compared to it.

This wisdom is inseparable from trusting in God rather than leaning on one's own understanding, and it becomes a power to help and uplift others. It is found in God's Word, which is more precious than rubies and gives an education of highest value. The first step to secure that education is to give the heart to God and make the Bible the chief study, with all other branches secondary. When the heart is opened to the entrance of the Word, heaven's light shines from the throne of God, and that Word treasured in the heart gives understanding of highest value even to the simple. Those who are simple of heart prize the Word above rubies, make it their guide, and form honesty and truthfulness, temperance, integrity, uprightness, and perfection of character according to its high, elevating, ennobling principles. The same surpassing worth belongs to the wisdom and experience gained by following the Lord and by following Christ, whose spiritual riches exceed gold, silver, and precious stones and surpass material wealth. Above all, Jesus Himself is more precious to the soul than the choicest friend, with nothing that can be desired comparable to Him. For the afflicted, wounded, and bruised this means reposing and resting in Him as a tired child rests in its mother's arms, upheld by the Lord's arms beneath, pitied and loved by Him, with His compassionate hand stretched out to bind up wounds, by only believing Him and only trusting Him.

Wisdom and understanding are worth more than silver or fine gold, and holding fast to her brings long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, peace, and life to those who hold her. She is more precious than rubies, and nothing a person may desire or could desire surpasses or compares with her. In this heavenly treasure of God's Word is found value that surpasses all else.

Receiving and Living Wisdom

In education true wisdom is worth more than merely studying books or relying on others, and it develops the abilities and practical judgment needed for life. The first step to secure it is to give the heart to God and make the Bible the chief study, with all other branches secondary. Opening the heart to the entrance of the Word brings heaven's light shining from the throne of God, and that Word treasured in the heart gives understanding of highest value to the simple. Learning the divinely ordained plan to bring man back into harmony with God and complying with its requirements is the first study and first effort of life, through repentance and faith, surrender of the will, and consecration of the affections to God in order to reflect the Creator's image by copying the one perfect pattern of Christ's character. Those who prize the Word above rubies and make it their guide form honesty and truthfulness, temperance, integrity, uprightness, and perfection of character according to its high, elevating, ennobling principles.

Wisdom to adorn the soul is better than gold for the exterior, showing the greater value of wisdom over outward riches and ornaments. The wisdom to be sought is the soul's lasting adornment, in contrast to outward golden ornaments. It brings happiness in this life and shines with undimmed luster in the immortal future.

Solomon valued the wisdom God gave him, yet when he gave in to lust it did not keep him from ruin. Wisdom must therefore be joined with faithfulness to God and guarded throughout life.

That wisdom is linked with trusting God rather than relying on one's own understanding, and it is applied as a way to help and uplift others. Jesus Himself is more precious to the soul than the choicest friend, and for the afflicted, wounded and bruised this means reposing and resting in Him by only believing Him and only trusting Him. It is as a tired child rests in its mother's arms, upheld by the Lord's arms beneath, pitied and loved by Him, with His compassionate hand stretched out to bind up wounds.