“Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway. For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD…” (Proverbs 8:34-35)
Think of your favorite hobby or topic, whether it’s music, sports, investing, technology, or theology. Most likely, you admire and closely follow a public figure who’s very knowledgeable, skilled, or passionate about their trade. You’re excited and would line up for hours to buy your favorite celebrity’s newest product or to see him or her in person.
What’s better than your favorite team winning the Super Bowl, or snagging the last Bruno Mars ticket at the Aloha Stadium? Wisdom. Earlier in Proverbs 8, Solomon says that God’s wisdom is better than precious jewels, silver, or gold (8:10-11,19). If wisdom is priceless, shouldn’t we get pumped up to partake in God’s Wisdom?
The author of the Proverbs then continues in verses 22 to 31 by retelling the creation story, that God used this same Wisdom to form you and me before He created the earth! Isn’t this exciting and mind-blowing?
How would you react to our awesome God and His Wisdom? The author advises ways to respond to Wisdom, from listening to it, to keeping Wisdom’s ways. Proverbs 8:34-35, today’s key verses exemplifies a student eagerly awaiting to receive Wisdom from his or her mentor and find life—“Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway. For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD.”
We know from before that Wisdom is the “tree of life” (3:18). So, whoever finds Wisdom finds Christ and life because “In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4).
The author concludes Proverbs 8 with a warning that those who miss Christ and Wisdom harms or injures his or herself and loves death. John writes that “The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 Jn. 5:12). Nothing in the world can provide life the way only Christ can.
Are you excited for what’s better than your prized possessions? The Wisdom of Christ is all you need in life.