Long Life and Riches

If you could have two wishes what would they be? Many people would say "I would like to live a long life and have plenty of money." It sounds quite hedonistic. However, Solomon, the writer of Proverbs in chapter 3 speaks about having length of days and riches. The Proverbs seem confusing at times because they make declarations that we often do not experience in our day to day lives. Before we question the writer of Proverbs, we should seriously look at the conditions the writer gives us to experience these day to day things that seem so far from us.

The verses I will be speaking from are Proverbs 3: 13-18. It starts off with the heart of the matter. "Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding." Proverbs 9: 10 says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." You see, before we can even think about having long life and riches there is a condition. That condition is first and foremost seeking the wisdom of God. That is what the writer of Proverbs drives home to us constantly.

It is not wrong to want long life and riches. It is how we spend our life and our riches. There is a correlation in these promises. Get wisdom - have long life and riches. I understand that many who seek wisdom and understanding never experience long life and riches but what they do experience is a peace and fulfillment in the Lord that is far better than life and riches. Others never experience long life and riches because they have never understood what it means to fear the Lord. That is the beginning of wisdom.

It all comes back to an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. It is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6: 33). It is hiding His word in our hearts (Psalm 119: 11). It is keeping His commandments and walking in His ways (Deuteronomy 8: 6). It is acknowledging Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3: 6).

None of us can do this perfectly which is why God gave us Christ to bridge the gap between us and a Holy and perfect God. He is able and He is the one who causes us to seek His ways.

Solomon finishes by telling us " 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."