Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.
Solomon. Proverbs 3:16-18. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is day 28 of ANOTHER 30 Days of Wisdom. Long life. Wealth. Honor. Delight. Peace. Happiness. Who wouldn’t call those descriptors of the truly good life? Wisdom is a tree of life—that is a source-point. You can, essentially, go anywhere from here. One thing is clear: Solomon is bound and determined to drive home to his young reader the essential value of things that cannot themselves be measured. How much do you charge for an ounce of wisdom? Or a kilo? What about a pint or a swimming pool full? You can’t. Of course, you knew that. BUT have you thought about how often we all pursue things we can count at the expense of things we can’t? And end up discovering—at the end of the day, that they’ve cost us our happiness? Left us alone in a dull world? Robbed us of our peace, honor—even wealth? We each need regular reminders that the tree of life isn’t found in the stuff we can count—but is the gift of wisdom itself. All that we really hold dear—can be found by the way of wisdom alone.
