Get Wisdom

Get Wisdom.  Happy New Year! ‘Twas the season to be jolly in December. ‘Tis the season to be mindful in January … of goals, objectives, and purpose for 2024. Last year, our goal was straightforward: “More Bible.” In other words, we sought to increase in the crucial area of our biblical literacy: knowing its characters, themes, and overarching narratives. Some of us read the whole Bible. Others of us memorized more verses. A few of us ingested “More Bible” by stepping-up into temporary roles of teaching. While “More Bible” is never fully achieved, it was measurably increased last year, which fit our goal’s parameters. In our various ways and at our various settings, we added quantity and quality to our reservoir of biblical content. Hooray, and gold stars all around!

In our new year, the desirable movement is not necessarily to expand wider but deliberately to plunge deeper into the biblical content that we already have: “More Depth.” In other words, we will seek to decrease our speed forward in order to increase our insight underneath the layers and below the surface of “More Bible.” Solomon, perhaps, said it best: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Prov. 4:7, ESV). He phrased it repetitively and poetically, for the sake of emphasis, using forms of the same word (qanah: to buy, acquire, get, possess) three times in one verse.

Many of the other English translations, like the English Standard Version, grapple with translating the word play that Solomon composed. “Get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding” (New International Version). “Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding” (New American Standard Bible). “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (New King James Version). “Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do” (New Living Translation).

Solomon’s advice, “Get wisdom,” sounds very much like the principal activity of the main characters in two of Jesus’ parables. In the parables of the treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great value, the action of selling all in order to secure the best is primarily financial. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt. 13:44-46). To Solomon who was skilled in both finances and wise sayings, and to Jesus who was called “greater than Solomon” (Matt. 12:42), it was the wisest investment and happiest advice to leverage everything one has to possess that which God evaluates as best. Of all the things we might do, we must do this: get wisdom!