⁵Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. ⁶Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. ⁸Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. ⁹She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.

The Book of Proverbs has been called the collection of short, pithy statements of wisdom. That description is particularly true of chapters 10-30. In our present passage, we see the beginning of this teaching mode breaking out in a staccato-like fashion. Overlayed is the motif of wisdom being a choice, illustrated by a young man choosing between a virtuous woman (wisdom) and an adulterous woman (foolishness).

We understand the Book of Proverbs to be inspired by God. On a human level, it was written by Solomon (see 1 Kings 4:32, 10:6-7). On a familial level, it urges the teaching of wisdom as instructional training from a father to his son (Prov. 4:1). Ultimately, our passage personifies wisdom as a voice speaking out about itself, inviting us to acquire, not forget, not forsake, prize, and embrace.

We find the crux of wisdom in verse seven: “The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom” and its handmaiden, understanding. The New Living Translation put it this way: “Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!” Everything else follows; all life choices hinge on wisdom. Why? Wisdom will guard you, watch over you, exalt you, honor you, reward you, and crown you with beauty. That is an impressive list of benefits. Folly can only give a moment of pleasure, as illustrated in chapter 5 as giving in to illicit sexual pleasures. The benefits of wisdom tip the scales overwhelmingly, eclipsing the benefits of momentary pleasure.

The continuous struggle of life is the choice between living wisely and living by the impulses of the flesh, choosing between a wise course of action and a foolish path. The difference in consequences is enormous. One is the path of life, the other the path of death.

How, then, can one wisely make the right choice in a given situation? The answer is this: Prize wisdom; make it your life goal to accumulate as much wisdom as possible. Train yourself to think wisely, to intentionally approach every situation as a choice between wisdom and foolishness. This may seem intellectually and emotionally exhausting, and it can be. But wisdom will teach us its benefits as we obey its voice, and then wisdom will become our lifestyle.

Lord, I commit to integrating wisdom thinking into my daily life, with Your help.