Proverbs 3 Commentary: Rewards of Wisdom
“Long life is in her [wisdom’s] right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed” Proverbs 3: 16-18.
We sometimes want to give in to our evil cravings and lusts and not have to give up the blessings of wisdom in the process. We want to do exactly what we feel like doing. Don’t we want to have whatever we want. . .and have it all?
But we don’t want to deny ourselves anything. And sometimes even to the detriment of others.
And we also want the long life, riches, honor and peaceful, pleasant life this passage promises.
Proverbs 3 Commentary: We Can’t Have It Both Ways
But we can’t have it both ways. We either give in to our lusts (desires), or we get the blessings of wisdom. But we can’t have both because they are mutually exclusive paths.
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The blessings of wisdom require the fear of God (Proverbs 9: 10). They demand sowing to the Spirit and walking in love. And this involves self- restraint, self-control and self-denial.
If we give in to our evil desires, we will get immediate gratification. We won’t have to wait, or exercise patience. We won’t have to experience the discomfort of delayed gratification and self-denial.
That might sound pretty good. That is until we realize the pleasures of sin are short-lived. And bring turmoil, misery, and destruction in their wake.
When we say yes to our evil desires, we are saying no to the blessings of wisdom.
The path to wisdom is the narrow path. You know, the one that requires self-control and self-denial. And delayed gratification.
It demands faith and patience.
It necessitates that we resist temptation. And this involves suffering.
The Glorious and Lasting Rewards of Faith and Patience
But the rewards are glorious. . . and lasting.
The rewards of giving in to evil desire, on the other hand, are mingled with turmoil and guilt and shame. And are short-lived.
Both because we lose our ability to enjoy it and the thing itself eventually.
The lure of giving in to our evil cravings is that it doesn’t require faith and patience. We can just reach out and take the thing. And not have to trust God to meet our needs.
We can have immediate gratification. We don’t have to wait.
But faith and patience is required to inherit any promise of God. “So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” Hebrews 6:12.
The problem is faith and patience don’t come naturally or easily. That’s why we choose to give in to our evil cravings instead. And thereby unwittingly forfeit the rewards of wisdom.
But the Spirit of God teaches us that anything that’s too easy in the beginning is not going to be blessed in the end. “An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end” Proverbs 20: 21.
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