What’s Wisdom’s Worth?

            You may know someone who is perpetually kidding around.  This person is always predictable about joking around and making people drag the truth out of them.  They do not do this out of contempt or hatred, but simply as a sense of humor to try and get people laughing.  Some people can only take so much of this behavior before they feel like they are going to snap if they have to put up with it one more minute.  Does this personality sound appealing to you?  “Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips (Proverbs 8:1-7, ESV).

It may be difficult for some to make every word out of their mouth righteous.  That is, not cursing, lying, or telling dirty jokes.  To find wisdom’s worth, we as Christians must learn to tame our tongues.  “All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge (Prov. 8:8-9).  Can you say all your words are righteous?  Sure, there is a time and a place for good times and jokes.  If you make your personality and habits to be that of just “joking around” who do you expect to take you seriously and find your words straight?  Wisdom’s worth is only found in the mouth of the straight and righteous.  

Wisdom’s worth can be summed up in these two verses, “Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her” (Prov. 8:10–11).  Some say that every man has his price.  In other words, there is something valuable enough in every person’s mind to betray everything they believe in order to obtain that “price.”  The proverbs assure that wisdom’s worth is higher than any price you may have.