The Blissful Beauty and Blessing of Cherishing Wisdom
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
To Love and to Cherish
What do you cherish? What do you love in a special way?
Think about who and what you admire and value most. This is what it means to cherish.
Cherish is not a common word today but you get a sense of its meaning by how it sounds and the way it’s expressed. When we cherish something or someone, we hold it or them in high regard with love, adoration, even worship.
Proverbs was originally written in Hebrew. The word translated cherish means to embrace. It literally means to hold with passion and affection the same way we’d embrace a loved one.
The admonition to love and cherish wisdom shows how important godly wisdom is and its intrinsic value. Its importance and value benefit the person who gains and holds on to it and influences others.
I’m reminded of a line from traditional wedding vows — “… to have and to hold, till death do us part….” The wedding vow is an intentional and lifelong commitment.
This is the heart of the admonitions in these verses to get and embrace godly wisdom throughout our life.
Scripture
Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding with all that you have.
Cherish wisdom.
It will raise you up. It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
It will give you a graceful garland for your head.
It will hand you a beautiful crown. (Proverbs 4:6-9 GW)
[Context—Proverbs 4:1-9 GW]
Simple Insights
If we forget, abandon, or turn away from godly wisdom, we’ll suffer consequences for it. Whatever we might gain from having it will be lost.
This kind of wisdom isn’t just learned out of a book or in a class at school. It’s intended—by God’s design—to be passed on from generation to generation by parents to their children.
The fifth of the Ten Commandments says children are to honor their parents (Exo 20:12 GW). It’s the only specific commandment with a stated blessing.
God gives this responsibility to parents. This commandment shows the importance of parents in the lives of their children. And so, children need to see their parents cherish and live with godly wisdom.
Children learn by example more than by words. Parents (and grandparents!) can’t expect children to “do as I say, not as I do.”
Godly wisdom is to be implanted in the hearts and minds of children at an early age so it grows in them as they mature. When embedded in their lives, wisdom becomes a treasure of lasting value—to be cherished throughout a person’s life.
When a person cherishes wisdom, wisdom returns the favor. The picture given here is the honor and unfading beauty of a garland of flowers as a beautiful crown.
This illustrates the transforming work of godly wisdom in a person’s character reflected in their manner of life, even in their appearance.
Pursue wisdom as you would the love of your life. Remember, this pursuit and cherishing of wisdom is an intentional and lifelong commitment.
Choose to gain godly wisdom. As you gain wisdom, embrace her with the passion a man has for a woman.
Cherish wisdom and wisdom will honor you.
Reflection—
Godly wisdom is a lifelong treasure to be cherished. It brings blessings for those who cherish it and the lives they influence with God's wisdom.
Prayer Focus—
Ask God to give you a heart that cherishes wisdom and a mind that understands it. If you love and cherish wisdom, ask the Lord how to share it with others and how to let it flow through your life to others.
Would you like a free study guide for Proverbs?
