Better to Get Wisdom Prov. 16:16  CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Prov 16:16, “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”

This is an important proverb for us in the Laodicean age where so many of us trust riches rather than the Lord – an old time preacher said, “Money obscures faith.”

Notice why wisdom and understanding are better:

Wisdom and understanding have more value – Prov 8:10-11 – Put wisdom and understanding in a scale on one side with everything else you can desire on the other side – wisdom and understanding will weigh out with more value – for one thing wisdom and understanding have a longer term value and all those other things a shorter term value.

Wisdom and understanding go hand in hand – Prov 4:7.  They complement each other.

Wisdom and understanding are approved by God – 1 Ki 3:5-13.  When Solomon went into idolatry he forsook his God-given wisdom and understanding (idols Neh 13:26, 1 Ki 11:1-8) – because wisdom is fear of the Lord (therefore not the fear of idols, they are gold and silver) and understanding is to depart from evil and idols are evil (Lev 19:4, 26:1, 30-33).

Wisdom and understanding last longer – When the whole universe was made, wisdom was there, Prov 8:22-30 – wisdom predates gold and silver and wisdom will still be here when gold and silver are gone – when the Titanic sunk, no one would trade gold and silver for a seat on a life boat – Zeph 1:18; Ezek 7:19.

Wisdom and understanding can do things for you that money can’t do – 2 Sam 20:16-22; Ecc 9:14-15.

Conclusion: In all of your labor to get wealth you are not wise if you neglect to labor to get wisdom – pray for wisdom and read the Bible for it and sit under good preaching and teaching to get it [many skip church to get more money] and get it by wise counsel – everyone is so fired up about getting wealth and retaining wealth that they are neglecting these two most important things in their lives – don’t you be one of those!!!