"I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, to endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. Proverbs 8:20-21
What is the way to wealth in this world? Today many would see that wealth and earthly riches are attainable by any means possible. People do very ungodly things in order to get rich. Yet from what we see here in today's proverb, wisdom says that she wants to give wealth to those who walk in righteousness and justice. So which way is it? The world's way or wisdom's way?
First of all we read in this passage that wisdom walks in a righteous path. The words used here indicate that wisdom always walks this way. This is the very lifestyle of wisdom - to embrace and to walk in righteousness. Therefore we can rightly assume that those who receive the wealth that wisdom endows also walk in this way. Second, we read that wisdom also walks in the middle of the path of justice. The idea here is not that wisdom is trying to walk in the middle - meaning that wisdom sees the path of justice as a tightrope - and that walking wise is a difficult path to follow because it involves walking with a balance. The idea is that there is the road of justice - and wisdom drives right down the middle of it. Wisdom does not hug to one side or the other of the road, trying to live as close to the edge as possible. Instead, wisdom drives right down the middle - choosing the right way every time.
Wisdom walks in this way so that she can offer to men true wealth. When wisdom says this to us, we need to see that she says that she wants to endow those who love her with wealth. The picture painted though is not that our eyes are on the wealth. Our eyes are fixed on wisdom. It is not money we love - it is wisdom. The wealth that she gives us is simply an offshoot of living for her. This is emphasized even further by the next statement made here - "that I may fill their treasuries." For those fixated on wealth and money - they see money as the goal. For those whose hearts are right - they see that wisdom herself is filling their treasuries. The wealth is wisdom and her ways - wisdom and her paths - wisdom and the ability to walk and choose rightly and justly.
Will wisdom gives us money? There are times when this is true - when making a wise choice will help us immediately in the bottom line of our finances. But there are other times when the right and just choice will negatively affect our immediate bottom line. No matter which one it is - the man who truly walks in wisdom and seeks her and her ways is not fixated on his bank account. He longs for wisdom herself. He desires for the wisdom of God to fill the treasuries of his heart and mind all his days. This is the promise of wisdom - not a greed-motivated desire for a fat wallet, but rather a love-motivated desire for the fullness of the mind of Christ as we make every decision of life.
What is the way to wealth in this world? Today many would see that wealth and earthly riches are attainable by any means possible. People do very ungodly things in order to get rich. Yet from what we see here in today's proverb, wisdom says that she wants to give wealth to those who walk in righteousness and justice. So which way is it? The world's way or wisdom's way?
First of all we read in this passage that wisdom walks in a righteous path. The words used here indicate that wisdom always walks this way. This is the very lifestyle of wisdom - to embrace and to walk in righteousness. Therefore we can rightly assume that those who receive the wealth that wisdom endows also walk in this way. Second, we read that wisdom also walks in the middle of the path of justice. The idea here is not that wisdom is trying to walk in the middle - meaning that wisdom sees the path of justice as a tightrope - and that walking wise is a difficult path to follow because it involves walking with a balance. The idea is that there is the road of justice - and wisdom drives right down the middle of it. Wisdom does not hug to one side or the other of the road, trying to live as close to the edge as possible. Instead, wisdom drives right down the middle - choosing the right way every time.
Wisdom walks in this way so that she can offer to men true wealth. When wisdom says this to us, we need to see that she says that she wants to endow those who love her with wealth. The picture painted though is not that our eyes are on the wealth. Our eyes are fixed on wisdom. It is not money we love - it is wisdom. The wealth that she gives us is simply an offshoot of living for her. This is emphasized even further by the next statement made here - "that I may fill their treasuries." For those fixated on wealth and money - they see money as the goal. For those whose hearts are right - they see that wisdom herself is filling their treasuries. The wealth is wisdom and her ways - wisdom and her paths - wisdom and the ability to walk and choose rightly and justly.
Will wisdom gives us money? There are times when this is true - when making a wise choice will help us immediately in the bottom line of our finances. But there are other times when the right and just choice will negatively affect our immediate bottom line. No matter which one it is - the man who truly walks in wisdom and seeks her and her ways is not fixated on his bank account. He longs for wisdom herself. He desires for the wisdom of God to fill the treasuries of his heart and mind all his days. This is the promise of wisdom - not a greed-motivated desire for a fat wallet, but rather a love-motivated desire for the fullness of the mind of Christ as we make every decision of life.
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