I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me

 

Proverbs belongs to that segment of the Old Testament designated as
"wisdom literature." Such proverbial
teaching represents one of the most ancient forms of instruction. The
wisdom literature of Israel was the chief storehouse of moral and
practical instruction for the Jews. It guided the head of state as well as
the head
of the home. It embodied the difference between right and wrong,
righteousness and unrighteousness. But most of
all, Israel 's wisdom literature taught the Jews how to live before
Jehovah. It contrasted the wisdom of the world, a wisdom of possessions,
with the wisdom of God, a wisdom of piety.

Proverbs teaches us that all who would live godly must seek the wisdom of
God and forsake the wisdom of the
world. To seek divine wisdom, therefore, is to seek to know God better and
to possess less. Wisdom is God; and
speaking as wisdom, God says, "I love them that love me; and those that
seek me early shall find me" (Proverbs
8:17). God is to be sought early in life and early in each day of life.
When we show Him we love Him in this way, He shows us He loves us by
filling our day with His wisdom.

Seeking the wisdom of God and the God of wisdom does not necessarily mean
we will be paupers on this earth. God
says, "Riches and honor are with me; yea durable riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yea than
fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver" (Proverbs 8:18-19). The
revenue paid by seeking this world's wealth
is temporal gain and a frequent deterrent to godliness.
The revenue gained by seeking divine wisdom is eternal gain and an
everlasting aid to godliness. Therefore, the truly wise person in this
world will seek God's wisdom instead of the world's wealth. But should God
allow us to
have both, our attitude toward our possessions will be, "Every man to whom
God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof,
and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of

God" (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

An English nobleman once visited Josiah Wedgwood to see how he made his
legendary china and pottery. A young
apprentice was instructed to give the nobleman a tour of the factory. The
nobleman didn't believe in God and was
sacrilegious and  foul-mouthed, and he consistently ridiculed the Bible
during the tour. At first the young apprentice was shocked, but after
awhile he began to laugh when the man made his cynical remarks. Josiah
Wedgwood was greatly disturbed by this, especially when
he saw how his young apprentice was being influenced by this wealthy
nobleman. Later the atheist asked if he
could purchase a particularly expensive vase. As he handed it to the
nobleman, Wedgwood deliberately let it
crash to the floor. With a vile oath the nobleman angrily said, "That's
the one I really wanted and now it's shattered by your carelessness."
Josiah Wedgwood replied, "Sir, there are things more precious than any
vase
things that can never be restored once they are ruined. I can make another
vase, but you can never give back to my helper the pure heart you've
defiled by your vile language and sacrilegious talk!"

The nobleman was an example of a man who did not seek the Lord early but
sought riches all the day. Josiah
Wedgwood is a fine example of a man who early sought the Lord and
recognized that his wealth was a gift from God.
God never intended that we should not have riches; He only intended that
riches should not have us. It is
vitally important for Christians who possess wealth not to be possessed by
it. Seek the wisdom of the Lord early
in the day, before earning the wealth of the world. Then use that wealth
in a way which will bring eternal reward.

- Woodrow Kroll
MORNING HYMN
I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.