Proverbs 21:20-22 Wisdom & Treasure

Solomon talks about the wise man and his exploits. Wisdom is central to each of his accomplishments for wisdom and treasure goes together. Wisdom IS a treasure!

We are at the beginning of another ‘bookend’ section again, or so my bible helps tells me. The other bookend is in the beginning of the next chapter. I am told that the second ‘bookend’ answers or clarifies questions raised in the first. We are going to look at this bookend today. See what questions and/or answers it has for us today. We’ll see where the Spirit takes us with it.

I just had a picture of a Tootsie roll tootsie pop come to mind while reading our section today. I know, it sounds weird but I have gotten used to weird and will follow wherever it leads. It is usually the Holy Spirit piquing my curiosity to start me down a path I should be walking.

The Tootsie pop idea came up while reading verse 21. The Tootsie pop has something special in the center of it. Everyone, including Mr. Owl, wants to get to it. Some do it slower than others. But without that center it wouldn’t be a Tootsie pop. It would be an ordinary sucker.

Verse 21 gives us the ‘center’ for everyone who truly seeks to follow the Lord. In seeking Him, we are seeking righteousness and kindness. These things are essential parts of His character. And when we make them part of us they become our center. They are as close to the heart as possible. The pursuit of them leads to a sweet center that radiates out to fill those around us. By pursuing righteousness and kindness, we are indeed blessed with “life, righteousness, and honor” (verse 21b). Our ‘coating’ is special because our ‘center’ is unique. Only those who have a real relationship with God have this precious center. And from that center ALL good things flow.

Wisdom is one of the precious things that flow from our ‘center’ with God. Wisdom to recognize the ‘value’ of what we have around us. Wisdom to use our resources well. And wisdom in gaining victory over the enemy.

In verse 20 we see that wisdom has filled this man’s home with good things. Things that have ‘value’ and should be used wisely. The foolish man may acquire these same things but he doesn’t recognize its value or the need to use it responsibly. When thinking about these ‘precious treasures’ I’m looking at more than food, clothing, and whatever money can buy. Yes, these things are important but something of greater value is in my ‘residence’. I’m thinking of the people in the home. The children God has given you to raise. The spouse God brought to complete your life. The brothers and sisters God gifted your parents with. Even the parents He saw as essential to your life. ALL these ‘things’ are precious. They cannot be replaced. And the relationships between them require work and wisdom.

A wise man values these relationships and protects them. He works to improve them all the time, never forgetting how precious they are. The foolish man ‘uses’ those around him until all his relationships are ‘used up’.  He sees only what he can get from the relationships. Once they are no longer meeting his desires, they are ‘disposed of’. The relationships are broken and the other is ‘dead’ to them. Families are broken and discarded, leaving devastation and loss in their place.

I have heard too many stories that have “I kicked them out” somewhere in them. There IS a place for ‘tough love’ but that ultimate purpose of that love is to be restorative. It is to bring the one who is being abusive to an abrupt conclusion; their behavior is NOT acceptable. But they need to know that when their behavior changes, open arms are waiting for them and prayers are following them wherever they go. There is no reason to change when there is no hope of restoration.

In verse 22 we see another use of wisdom. It is the ability to see the battle, identify the weaknesses in its defense, and capitalize on those weaknesses to ensure victory. I’m not certain where we are going from here, but I keep hearing “Let’s bring this back to the family” running through my mind. So let’s see where we go with this.

Thinking about the ‘battles’ we face in our families we have to use wisdom when approaching them. Just plowing into them or trying to force someone to adopt your ways can lead to more entrenched resistance. With someone who is convinced they are right, arguing will most likely do no good. You have to step back and look at their whole argument. You need to know ALL that you are fighting against before going on the offensive. You have to be able to identify the ‘holes’ in their argument before you have any chance of changing their mind. And VERY often you have to go in with subtlety to get past their defenses. Banging up against the ‘reinforced gates’ gets you nowhere. Remember how David finally took Jerusalem? He found a weakness in their defenses and he snuck in and took the city. And then when he was king, he fixed that weakness!

I’ve told you the story of my two oldest grandsons and the box of Legos. In case you haven’t heard it or have forgotten it, I’ll hit the highlights. I was trying to give them an object lesson that would make them think about creation v evolution. I gave them a box that contained ALL the elements for building but denied them the builder. When they came to the conclusion that nothing would be built without their hands I related it back to creation and our Creator. The youngest of the two got it while the older still had doubts. “It’s complicated” he replied. Over the years I have had other opportunities to ‘sneak in the backdoor’ and speak of God. That is all I can do, besides pray for them. They are my strong city but I KNOW God can bring that ‘stronghold’ down when I trust in Him and use His wisdom.

You see, the “wise man” who “scaled the city of the mighty” didn’t do it on his own either. He used wisdom that comes from God. He didn’t do it under his own power either. The hand of God rested on him because of the ‘precious center’ of his life. His center was his relationship with his Creator and Savior. That relationship is MORE valuable than ANYTHING this world has to offer.

I really don’t know who the Holy Spirit had in mind when He took me down this road. I’m CERTAIN He had a reason for the things that floated around in my mind. I’m hoping He is setting me up for finding another ‘weakness’ in one of my family’s ‘strongholds’. My heart aches as I contemplate the lies the enemy has them ‘buying into’.

Father God, for EVERYONE who receives something from this time with You, I want to say Thank You! You have ways of ‘sneaking past my defenses’ too. Of coming at me from a totally unexpected direction. Help me find the ‘chinks in the armor’ so that I can tear down some ‘strongholds’ within my family too. Help me do it with love and in a way that offers TRUE hope. Help me continue to build our relationship to the place You would have it reach. To the place where I have COMPLETE confidence in wherever You take me. Slip past my defenses too Father and tear down ALL the strongholds in my life that are NOT built on YOU. Reinforce those that are grounded in You.