Loving Wisdom

For Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Proverbs 29:3

He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but a companion of prositutes squanders his wealth.

One is led to think of the parable of the prodigal son. He took his father's inheritance and "squandered his property in reckless living" (Luke 15:11ff). He would have thought he was spending his money to enjoy life, to experience pleasure. But his problem was not that he loved pleasure too much but that his love was misguided.

Note the opposing person in the proverb. He is not described as being a stoic, one who chooses wisdom over enjoyment. He is one who loves wisdom. Wisdom is not a discipline to endure in order to keep secure. Wisdom itself is pleasurable. Recall the earlier proverbs:

13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.

The double bonus of loving wisdom is experiencing the joy of one's father, but even more so, one's heavenly Father. Because his Son excercised perfect wisdom, the Father delighted in him. And if we follow along the same path, choosing wisdom over sinful pleasures, we also shall know the blessing of delighting our Father.