The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.   Proverbs 15:33

There are few people who do not want to be wise. The rub comes when they learn how to become wise. There is even a higher cost when you learn the method by which God will bring us to the point where we become wise.

The first thing we need to grasp is that wisdom comes from God. If men, in their experience of life, manifest wisdom - it is only because they have stumbled across it over the course of their lives. Even a blind squirrel will find a few nuts as he wanders underneath the trees. Wisdom is defined best as seeing things as God sees them. Therefore if we are going to become wise - we will have to respect God and what He has to say. That is the crux of what Solomon is saying here when he states that the fear of Jehovah is the instruction for wisdom. If we do not respect and reverence God - we are fools. If we do not honor Him and give Him the honor which He deserves, we will not be wise in the end.

We note here that the fear of Jehovah is the "instruction" for wisdom. The word for instruction here is the Hebrew word "musar" which means to instruct with discipline. This means far more than just learning something in our heads. This involves both mental instruction of the head - and discipline to make sure that what goes into our heads is then applied and carried out in our lives. This often involves some correction, pain, and difficulty as we have to learn to value God's perspective more than our own. This is the process of wisdom - and depending on how stubborn or prideful we are in holding to our particular perspective - how painful and hard it will be to become wise.

The last part of this proverb lets us know the one overarching principle that will apply throughout this entire process. "Before honor comes humility." Humans (at least fallen ones - and that means all of us) want the honor now. They want honor immediately. If we want the honor of other men and the world that may be possible. If we want the honor that comes from God and that is lasting - we will have to take a different path. Honor from God requires humility first. It is the humility that is willing to empty ourselves and lay our own will and ego down. This is what Christ Jesus did according to Philippians 2, and God requires nothing less of us. Oh how hard the human will goes down. But in order to be wise - and to receive honor from God - that is what we will have to do. But such wisdom and such honor is better than anyting billion things the world can offer us in the way of its trinkets and trash.

Want to be wise? Want lasting, eternal honor? Then wisdom is what you want. You will haae to first admit you don't have any - and then turn to the only One Who can give it to you. You will need to see your view of God raised infinitely higher - where you find His wisdom and guidance impeccable in every way. You will need to embrace His thoughts and working in your mind even in the most difficult times when honestly, it does not make sense. You will need to lay your own thoughts in the dust - until you learn that they are in agreement with His - then praise Him for enlighening your mind to have such thoughts. This is the way of wisdom - which is also the way of humility. But I can promise you by the Word of the Lord that this is also the way of true happiness, true contentment, and a true reward that will last infinitely beyond any trophy, any medal, any certificate, or any human reward that will fade and fade away with time.

He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. Proverbs 14:31

God is very serious how He views the poor - especially when people choose to oppress them and take advantage of them because of their poverty. The warning that we are given here is about oppressing the poor. The poor by their lack of money and influence are people who have a difficult time finding a way to deal with people who trample their rights. They have no money with which to address the legal system. They have no power among elected officials to influence them outside of their one vote. History has proven that there are a couple of groups who oppress the poor. These two groups are the rich and those who want to maintain political power. The rich do so most often by not offering the poor a living wage when it is within their power to do so. In an interest in getting richer, they take the wages that the poor should receive and keep them for themselves. God offers dire warnings to those who do this. The second group are those who use political power to oppress the poor. Even within our government it is advantageous to prevent the poor from bettering themselves by setting up a welfare state that encourages dependence. This is often not recognized as oppressing the poor because it maintains the illusion that the person in political power is helping them. But any system which traps people in poverty is oppressive, even if it oppresses by handing out what at first looks like free money.

Those who oppress the poor are taunting God. Taunting is such an ugly thing. When those who have an upper hand mock those less fortunate, it is disgusting. The Hebrew word indicates a mocking and open reproach of someone else. This is done in a way that deliberately desires to agitate or humiliate someone. The truly frightening thing about this kind of taunting is that the one doing it is infinitely less powerful than God. Usually the stronger one taunts the weaker. Here although the person is stronger in what is openly seen (i.e. the powerful oppressing the poor) they are probably unaware that their actions are taunting the living God. This is the most foolish thing anyone could possibly do. I get a picture of a bully taunting a small child, unaware that their incredibly strong and huge brother is standing behind them watching the whole thing. In that situation, as well as the one mentioned here in Proverbs 14, someone is about to get a serious beat-down.

The wise man has mercy on the poor. He uses his position of strength and wealth to help them. The word mercy has the idea of being treated in a way we do not deserve. Therefore the wise and godly man remembers how God has treated him - and uses that as a barometer of how he should treat the poor. Maybe someone has become poor due to their own sinfulness. Even in this case we should show mercy and seek to help. This honors God because it reflects His own character in our actions. Whereas the fool taunts God by oppressing and taking advantage of the poor - the wise man wants a reward larger than the riches or power he can get on the backs of the unfortunate. He knows that in the end it will go well with the one who honors God.

The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. Proverbs 14:20

Popularity is far too often determined by what a person has or does not have, rather than by whether they are a person of character and value. Today's proverb reminds us of this as we are faced with how people are judged by their bank account rather than by who they truly are in life.

The poor is hated by even his neighbor. That is a strong statement, but unfortunately, a true one. James warns in chapter 2 of those who judge by the mere appearance of wealth in the church. His statement is fascinating and will bring much light on our current verse here in Proverbs 14.

"My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:1-5)

Here James confronts the attitude that respects the rich, but despises the poor. The rich are recognized by their clothing and their jewelry as they walk into the meeting of the church. As a result, they are treated with great respect and deference. The poor, whose clothes seem to betray their poverty, are treated with disrepect and disdain. One if given the seat of honor - the other is left to sit on the floor. The problem with this kind of judgment is that it is motivated by evil motives. Honor is given by what a person makes - not what God has made of them. Respect is shown because of a person's wealth of money - not their wealth of godliness and character. These things are done also because of selfishness, because we figure in the end that we can "get something" from them. We will profit from the relationship - but the profit we seek is only monetary. We shun spiritual blessing and true wealth.

We are reminded hat the poor of this world are usually rich in faith. We devalue that and forget that God sees all and knows all. This is evil - and shows great disrespect for Both God and His Word. It also usually aligns us with those who do harm to God's people. The poor, we read, are rich in faith and are heirs of the kingdom.

Ultimately we need to remember that Jesus was poor as He lived on this earth. He spoke of how the birds of the air had nests - but He had no where to lay His head. It is not that the poor are automatically saved - due to their poverty. It is that they have nothing in this world - thus they are far more ready to hear what God says - not being blinded by their money or their possessions. If we despise the poor - we in all honesty despise our Lord Jesus as well. Yet he is rich in what truly matters - and from what we read in James - the poor are usually rich in faith as well. That is why we need to be wise and value people not on a basis of their financial bottom line - but with true judgment - on the basis of their character and their wisdom gained from their intimacy with God and their study of His Word.

Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, But he who regards reproof will be honored. Proverbs 13:18

Everyone would like to see their hopes and dreams realized. One of these dreams is that of earning a fortune. The conventional wisdom of this world says that if you work hard and apply yourself these things can be yours. But the Word of God counsels us a little differently. There is more to success than just making a lot of money because you work hard. Far too many men who stepped on the road to their riches - wound up unable to achieve them because they would not listen to counsel and accept discipline. They would not take wise advice - and as a result were not honored in the end.

The Word of God ties the whole idea of wealth and blessing to something more than hard work. The Bible teaches us to work hard and apply ourselves in what we do. That is why we hear about the "protestant work ethic." But there is so much more to "true success" than just having a lot of money. Real success biblically is tied most of all to knowing and walking in God's favor. Beyond that God also speaks of things like character and virtue. These things are developed by not only working hard - but also in submitting to the counsel of wise and godly people. What many people do not understand is that submission to such wise counsel also means being willing to accept criticism. Let me put before you two Old Testament examples from which we can learn.

We first come to a King in the Old Testament named Rehoboam. He was the son of Solomon who received the kingdom when his father died. The people came to him asking for him to lighten the load that his father put on them. Rehoboam asked his father's counselors what to do. They advised him to take a position of servant to the poeple, lighten their load, and they would serve him. He rejected such counsel and chose instead to listen to his own friends who said to be harsh and tell the people who was king and who was in charge. He rejected wise counsel from godly men. The end was that he was NOT honored. He wound up losing 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel. He also was humbled further when he would not listen to God's life-giving rebuke and turn from his idolatrous ways. In the end, his kingdom was severely weakened and eventually overrun by Egypt.

The second king we seek to learn from is David. David was confronted and rebuked by Nathan the prophet for his sexual sin with Bathsheba. Instead of neglecting this correction and discipline, he received it - and was restored. He had some pretty severe discipline for what he did - but never rebelled against it. He knew he deserved far worse - and therefore submitted himself to God in all of it. David was honored for being a man after God's own heart. Such praise was given because of his repentance and willingness to undergo and learn from discipline. It turned him from a disastrous course and back into the arms of God.

It is so important that we be wise and learn that it takes hard work and discipline to truly succeed in life. Those who do such things will be blessed in the end. Their lives may not be profiled among the rich and the famous - but they will be honored in the one place where it matters. They will be honored before the throne of God in the day of judgment. It is there where we find out whether we are blessed and wealthy - or whether we are going to know eternal poverty and shame. Be wise - choose the former - submit to God - and listen to life-giving rebuke.

A fool's anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.  Proverbs 12:16

Ours is a society driven by rights and by slights.  We are told that we have rights - and as a result of this education we demand them all the time.  One of the rights that evidently is near the top of the list is the right never to be offended.  That is why we have political correct language that is being ever more strictly enforced in our nation.  We cannot say things that will offend anyone else.  If the society determines that a certain word or phrase is no longer allowed - that word or phrase is banished from our circles.  If someone were so foolish as to speak that word of phrase - he too will be banished - even fired from his job.  If he is in the public eye - he will be summarily destroyed and cast upon the trash heap for the foreseeable future - possibly forever.  We are the nation with the greatest law protecting free speech (our first ammendment) but also the greatest number of unwritten laws that restrict our speech as well as punish any who dare step over the line. 

Our proverb today would help us greatly with our problems societally.  We are first warned that only a fool's anger is known at once.  The fool has no patience, therefore he is often disgusted and angry with others around him.  He takes up the slighest offence - whether overt or covert - and becomes vexed about it immediately.  The word for anger here is the Hebrew word "kaas" which means to be provoked to anger.  The problem is that this man is easily provoked - and lets his anger blow the moment that he is.  As we read here - his anger is know at once.  He is unable to control himself - and also unable to let things roll off his back like water off of a duck.  Every slight - every potential offence is taken to the deepest part of his being and fully embraced.  There is little wonder therefore that he has a tendency to lose it whenever this happens.  He is offended - angry - disgusted - and filled with rage toward whoever has knowingly or unknowingly slighted him. 

The prudent man is the one who conceals this anger and offence.  He is able to ignore the slights and snubs of life.  He is able to deal with the insults and general indignities of living in the fallen world.  Because he knows the world is fallen - he is aware that things like this are bound to happen.  Because he knows he too is fallen - he is aware of the need to be gracious and kind as he carries on life in this world.  He has learned to conceal dishonor.  The word for dishonor here parallels the Hebrew word for forgiveness.  He chooses to forgive and show mercy and grace rather than demand judgment and justice for every slight.  He has learned that the merciful are blessed, for they too receive mercy. 

Learning to be a prudent and wise man in this way will help you live much longer.  The word prudent here is the Hebrew word "arum" which has the idea of being sensible.  A sensible man knows that unless he wants his world to be in a continual state of stress, anger, rage, and bitter unforgiveness - he needs to let insults and vexation they can cause roll off of him.  By this he keeps his blood pressure down - and his friendships up.  If you are prone to become angry and blow off steam in almost every situation beware.  You are ruining your own life and living like a fool.  Be wise - be understanding - and be aware of the fallen world in which you live.  Show mercy and grace - for it will bring you joy even in the midst of a world filled with plenty of ways to become frustrated and angered.

A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches.  Proverbs 11:16

Two types of people are contrasted here.  There is the gracious woman and the ruthless man.  They are viewed from what they attain in life.  The word "attain" is important here for it refers to what a person grasps or holds.  The gracious woman seeks for honor, while the ruthless man is seeking riches. 

The rich man is called "ruthless."  This is the Hebrew word "ariys" which means to be ruthless, strong, and violent.  The word usually refers to a ruler, kind, or master who behaves ruthlessly toward those under him like a tyrant.  This person is insolent, proud, haughty, and violent.  As a result the general attitude toward him by those around him is fear.  This ruthless man does not care about true honor or respect.  He rules by fear, intimidation, and an overpowering hand and demeanor.  What he wants is not repect - but riches.  And what we read here is that he grabs all he can get - and attains those riches.  Anyone who follows politics and those who wield power in the financial world knows that there are a myriad of men who get their riches by less than favorable means.  They dominate others and often do dispicable things.  In the process they get a lot of money.  What is not told often enough is that even though they have the money - they do not have peace, joy - and often cannot sleep because their lack of character costs them dearly.  They wind up as the typical rich, lonely, miserable old man - whose only friends are the sycophantic ones who stay only to feed on the corpses of his corporations and bank accounts.  There is little love lost or tears shed when he dies. 

The gracious woman is seen in stark contrast to this rich, ruthless man.  One of the best pictures of this gracious woman is Ruth.  She faced an uphill battle her entire life.  When her husband died, she was left with nothing - except a sister-in-law who was a widow too - and a mother-in-law whose life was shattered.  Ruth chose to be gracious every step of the way.  Her daily existence in Israel, when they moved back, was spent gleaning in fields that were not hers living on the kindness of others.  In the midst of all this she was the most gracious of women - not complaining of her circumstances or of the back-breaking work she endured for an entire harvest.  She and her mother-in-law endured a very meager existance that entire Fall - yet no griping was heard from Ruth.  She was the picture of a gracious, godly, quiet-spirited woman.  She worked hard and was grateful for everything she received. 

In the end, Ruth was seen as a woman of honor.  Even though she was a foreigner and a Gentile, she was seen in the community as a highly honorable woman.  She followed customs that were not her own - being obedient to a mother-in-law in the process.  Her graciousness was honored in the end though.  She was given a new husband - a godly, wealthy, wonderful man named Boaz.  Although starting at what had to be the very bottom of society in Israel - God gave her honor in two ways.  There was her new husband Boaz - who was a gift from God.  There was even a greater honor - and that was her great grandson.  His name . . . David.  Honor comes to a gracious woman - and that lasts much longer than the riches of the ruthless man.  If you do not believe that - just ask Nabal, the rich farmer or the rich man in the gospels.  Their ruthlessness gained them great riches - for a short season - followed by an eternity in punishment and pain. 

"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.  My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver."  Proverbs 8:18-19

Wisdom is speaking to us about riches, wealth, honor, and righteousness.  We live in a world that thinks it truly understands what it means to be rich and wealthy - yet - from what we read here in Proverbs chapter 8 we will learn that what they are pursuing is not true wealth.  Therefore in case we too are confused on this issue it would be wise for us to examine what is written here - and be wise in this area of true riches and wealth.

I find it fascinating that each time wealth or riches is mentioned, these things are qualified in what is mentioned with them.  First we see that wisdom will bring us riches and honor.  Honor speaks not just of having "fake" honor because you are wealthy.  This kind of sychophantic honor is pitiful to watch.  We see those who fall over themselves to show honor publicly to those who have a lot of money - yet who may secretly curse them when they are not around them.  What Proverbs says is that this rich man also receives honor - but it is true honor due to his wisdom, not due to his having a lot of money.  The second phrase says that he will also have "enduring wealth and righteousness."  The idea of enduring is something hat lasts.  It is durable and not subject to decay or to fading away.  But this kind of wealth is found with those who combine it with "righteousness."  They have wealth, but they also do what is right in life - regardless of what their wealth could purchase.  All these things remind us of what our Lord Jesus Christ said - that we should not work for the riches and wealth that are subject to moth and rust - to decay and to thieves.  We should work for and desire the wealth that will last for all eternity.  That is what this passage is saying to us as well by qualifying both riches and wealth with honor and righteousness. 

Finally, we see in verse 19 that the fruit of wisdom is better than even gold - and the purest gold.  The yield of wisdom far outsurpasses even te choicest of silver as well.  After speaking of wealth and riches - it is as if wisdom is saying to us that the best wealth and the richest thing is wisdom itself. 

From time to time I teach classes on economics to high school students.  One of the principles of economics is that due to the fall of man into sin, there will always be a scarcity of what is desired among men.  We fell from a garden that was perfect and abundant in every way - to a world where we would have to work for our food and sustenance by the sweat of our brow.  Even as we worked hard we would not have a perfect yield because the ground would yield thorns and weeds as we worked it.  Thus the principle for us economically after the fall is that there is a limited amount of riches and wealth on this planet.  Not everyone will be rich and wealthy with this world's goods.  But, by God's grace and through the teaching He offers to us through His Spirit, there is untold riches and wealth when it comes to the wisdom He seeks to teach us.  If we would value that wisdom it could be ours without any limits whatsoever.  There are true riches and enduring wealth available to any man who chooses true honor and righteousness.  What will be your choice this day?

The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor. Proverbs 3:35

Proverbs is all about the difference between the wise man and the fool.  It is one of the major themes throughout this book.  Therefore it should not be too suprising to see at the close of chapter three that we have a comparison between the wise and the foolish.  The comparison that we see shown to us is what these two are receiving for their choices.  The wise man receives honor - while the fool gets dishonor.  What is most interesting though is how these two ends are described for us. 

The wise man is said to "inherit" honor.  The Hebrew word "nahal" which is used here means to take property as a permanent possession.  This was the word that was used to describe how Israel was to receive the promised land.  The whole idea of inheritance also brings into focus that there is going to have to be a death for us to receive what God gives us.  This points us to the sacrifices that were made when the Mosaic covenant was established.  There was no covenant without blood - and without death.  But for us the death is not ours - but the death of the sacrifice made on our behalf.  Throughout the Old Testament that was the death and sacrifice of the animals upon which they had laid their hands and confessed their sin.  But this was just a picture of what was to come.  It was a picture of Jesus Christ who would take sin upon Himself and pay the full price for it.  As a result, we would be able to inherit salvation - and honor from God.  Truly, as the passage says, the WISE will inherit this honor.  This reminds us that the ultimate wisdom from God, as stated in 1 Corinthians 1:21-24 is Jesus Christ as Him crucified.  "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."  The wise turn to Jesus - who is the wisdom of God unto us - as well as our righteousness and our redemption.

The fool though is said to "display" dishonor.  Here is a wonderful illustration of not just truth - but even of salvation and how we can know that we are saved.  The wise inherits honor, but the fool displays his dishonor.  Here we have a picture of the fool.  Since he has no wisdom by which he can be honored in God's sight - all he has left is to live out his days displaying the dishonorable way that he lives.  He shows forth what is in his heart - which is sin and dishonor.  He has no work of grace going on inside of him - which is part and parcel of why he lives the way that he does.  The lack of grace - the lack of salvation - the lack of wisdom - all will be disaplyed daily in a lifestyle that greives God.  Dishonor will be given to God in how he lives because he is lost.  So what we see throughout his life is not grace working to show honor - but foolishness and sin revealing dishonor. 

What do people see in us?  What are we revealing or displaying to the world around us.  If we were burnt in a fire - we would display the effects of the fire in our bodies for the rest of our lives.  If we worked out 3 hours a day - there would be a display in our muscles of the fact that we have done this.  What we see in the physical is also true in the spiritual realm as well. When we live by God's wisdom - or better said IF we live by God's wisdom - it WILL be seen in our lives.  We will display an honorable life.  If we are NOT displaying an honorable life, we should not lie and tell people we are living by His wisdom.  IF we are being a fool - and living by the principles of the world - we will display dishonor in our lifestyle.  If we are living in a way that dishonors the Lord - it is proof that we are living by foolish principles. 

There are many who ask the question, "How can I know that I am saved?" They may ask, "How can I know that I am doing God's will?"  They want some kind of definitive thing that they can do once and say they know that they are saved.  Yet God's Word tells us in a myriad of ways that the proof is in the lifestyle.  This does not mean that we are saved by works - because God's Word is clear that it is only by grace we are saved.  But . . . if there are no works - no change - no godliness - no living for God's glory and honor . . . we can honestly say that there is probably no salvation.  If there is a continued lifestyle that displays dishonor to God - and dishonor towards His Word - dishonor when it comes to a righteous life - then we can know that we are living as a fool - and honestly - we don't know God through the grace He has given us in Jesus Christ.

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor. Proverbs 18:12

Humility is the thing - therefore embrace humility!  When you are not humble, you are headed for trouble - for afflication, for a fracture or a breach in some way.  God says that He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble in the book of James.  Here that truth is reiterated - just in a little more terrifying way.

When a man's heart is haughty - bad things are going to happen.  The word "haughty" here is the Hebew word "gabah" which means to be high, exalted, or arrogant.  This word is used of thing like a high tree or vine - but it is also used of Almighty God.  Here it does not have the meaning of arrogant - but simply someone high and exalted - and rightly so.  But when a man takes on this attitude and this demeanor, he is headed for trouble. 

God says that right before destruction comes upon a man his heart is this way - haughty and lifted up - full of himself.  Such a heart condition does not mean that he is right on the verge of destruction.  That would be a misinterpretation of this proverb.  What it is saying is that right before God brings destruction upon a man - he will be haughty.  Consider the king, Belshazzar from Babylonian times.  He was very arrogant - so arrogant that during a big party he had the cups and bowls brought in from God's Temple - and he and his party guests drank their wine out of them.  As they did, they praised the God's of silver and gold.  This was about as arrogant as someone could get.  But Belshazzar did not know that this would be the last banquet he would ever hold.  It would be the last party he would ever host.  That night a hand from God came and wrote on the wall of the room where he was having his wicked shindig.  The message on that wall told him that in the midst of his arrogance God had rendered final judgment upon him.  He had been put in the balances of God's justice and righteousness - and had been found wanting.  Because of his arrogance and pride he was going to have his kingdom handed over the Medes and the Persians.  Suddenly Belshazzar's arrogance was confronted - but not with opportunity for repentance.  He was confronted with destruction.  That night his defenses were breached, his captiol city captured, and he himself was slain in the onslaught that ensued.  He had nothing with which to defend himself.  All he had was his last moments of arrogance and pride - oh, and terror as the breech came. 

Reject haughtiness and thinking highly of yourself.  It is a trap of monumental proportion.  It was the sin for which the devil himself was judged when he was the annointed angerl that led the praises of heaven itself.  This sin is deadly above all others - therefore utterly abandon it and embrace god-honoring humility instead.  This proverb does tell us that before honor - there is humility.  Since I am writing this a week before Christmas, I will use the ultimate example of humility to illustrate this truth.  Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  He has ever been with the Father and the Spirit and is God of very God.  As such He actually deserves the praise of all creation for all eternity.  Yet He chose to obey His Father and be born as a baby in Bethlehem.  He left the glories of heaven and took on the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.  He became the God-man.  As such He humbled Himself infinitely.  He did not demand honor and glory and praise - which we all due Him.  He chose instead a path of obedience, humility, and eventually humiliation as He bore the sin of the world on the cross of Calvary.  Being found in form as a man he humbled Himself and became obedient unto death - even that awful death on the cross.  Here is someone who deserves honor and respect - praise and adoration - yet He chooses humility.  As a result we read in latter verses in Philippians 2 the following words - also a fulfillment of this very proverb.

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, NASB)

There it is in what God did through and for His Son.  Jesus chose to humble Himself - and before the honor God gave Him - was that marvellous attitude and practice of humility.  God raised Jesus from the lowest place to the highest!  God will honor those who embrace obedient humility to Him.  Therefore wisdom is this . . . it is embracing humility and obedience to God in all that we do.  That is the very best way of knowing that God will honor you in due time - as you continue to embrace a self-effacing, god-glorifying, Christlike humility and obedience to Him.

Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Proverbs 3:16

Wisdom has many benefits for the one who chooses to walk in it.  That is what we are told today in Proverbs 3:16.  We are told that God promises by long life and riches and honor to the ones who walk in wisdom. 

First let us look at the promise of long life.  When a man walks in God's wisdom he will walk in peace.  Wisdom counsels us to be made right with God and to cooperate with Him throughout life.  This will calm a man and grant him a longer life.  Reports come back regularly explaining to us that a peaceful, tranquil heart is great for our health.  Stress will kill a man in the end - because stress will release toxins in the body and cause the heart to have to work much harder than it usually does.  Wisdom will also offer us long life because wisdom calls us away from the excesses of the wicked.  Having embraced a life of moderation and temperance, we will be spared much of the difficulty that comes from the varied gluttonies of life. 

We are also told that wisdom will give us riches and honor.  Throughout the book of Proverbs we read tremendous amounts of wisdom in regard to our finances and how we should operate in business.  Having talked with several of the successful businessmen in my own congregation, they have assured me that reading the proverb of the day - and learning to follow the counsel of Scritpure on financial matters will yield wealth.  I'm not talking about the kind of wealth that the health, wealth, and prosperity people tout.  This is the wealth that acrues due to wise management of our money and our lives. 

Wisdom also holds in her hands honor for us.   The word for honor here is "kabod" - which speaks of a weightiness in life.  This speaks of honor given by others as they see how we live.  Wisdom will help us to live an honorable life in the sight of God, which in turn will move the Lord to grant us honor in the sight of others - and most importantly, in His sight. 

Rather than health, riches, and honor due to a "name it, claim it" type of mentality, this passage is truly teaching us something amazing.  Just for the fun of it - I would call this the "learn it, spurn it" mentality.  As God teaches us wisdom - we learn from Him of His ways and paths.  He instructs us in the way that we should go - and that has reference to everything we do and everything we are.  We learn it - in His presence - by His Spirit - as He endeavors to educate us teaching us His Word.  As we embrace His ways - we also learn to "spurn it."  This simply means that the more we learn of wisdom and of God's Word, the more we will spurn the ways of this world, and the ways of our own flesh.  This will help us to truly be blessed in all that we do. 

Before I finish with this proverb, I would like to show a couple of New Testament verses that reiterate this same principle for us - just using slightly different language.  First is what Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."  Here in very simple language is the pursuit of wisdom.  We learn to seek as the first order of business in our daily lives, His kingdom and His righteousness.  Said another way, we seek for His rule and reign over every thought and action, and we have Him determine what is right in every situation.  Truly this is wisdom - and the promise we receive?  He will add all the other things (here refering to food and clothing) to us. 

The second verse is 1 Timothy 4:8, ". . . for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."  Here we see that wisdom will always lead us to live a godly life.  This godliness is profitable here and now, as well as throughout all eternity.  Seeing this, it is my hope for both you and me that we will embrace her - embrace wisdom - and find that in both hands there awaits us great blessing from God.