Here Are My Thoughts

READ: Proverbs 23

“Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.” (Proverbs 23:23)

Have you ever made a bad purchase? Maybe it was an impulse buy, something you didn’t need but in the moment wanted. Maybe you bought something that you needed, but it didn’t work the way you needed it to, or didn’t last as long as it should’ve. Maybe you sunk money into a bad investment that never gave you a good return. Truth is, we’ve all been there. We’ve all made bad purchases.

And the fact of the matter is, a purchase usually isn’t actually bad because of the amount spent on it. Sometimes that’s the case, but most often, if it’s something you need, and if it’s a good product, it winds up being worth what is spent. Where we most often get in trouble is in purchasing things that are no good. We do it in our shopping habits (buying things we don’t need or that don’t work), believing that we’re getting the “deal” when in reality, the seller is undefeated. But we also do this in our lives-we invest in people, activities, habits, and vices that cost way more than they’re worth. In a way, everything we do is a purchase or investment. Life is a series of trade-offs. Everything we take hold of comes at the expense of something else. Everything we choose costs something.

Which makes it absolutely vital that we make good purchases in life. And I think that’s what Solomon is trying to help us do. He gives a clear directive: Buy truth (and don’t let it go), and buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Here, Solomon gives us good “products” that offer a great return on investment. We are encouraged to pursue and hold on to truth, rather than lies, wisdom, rather that foolishness, instruction, rather that arrogance, and understanding, rather than ignorance. These are investments that are worth making.

So let me ask you:

Will you buy truth? Will you refuse to believe the lies told to you by other people? By Satan? By our society? What about the lies you tell yourself? What will you do to cling to truth, to throw everything false aside and live a live based on what is right and good?

Will you invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding? Will you reach out to people who can teach you and actually listen? Will you realize that your life would be markedly better if you had some guidance? Will you stop believing just what you’ve been told and look to grow in your worldview?

Saying yes to these questions will cost you something, I’m sure. It may cost you your self-reliance, or the assurance you’ve developed from believing a half-truth. It may require you to enter the uncomfortable place beyond what you’ve always known. But it’s a good buy.

May you, in wisdom, make good purchases in your life.

-Brett