SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 2:1-22

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
1. Solomon believes that the person who humbly, honestly, sincerely and seriously seeks wisdom and truth will find out how right and good God and His ways are.
2. Wisdom and truth (intergrity) is more important than wealth and happiness. People often pursue wealth and happiness, but do so in a way that undermines their character and integrity. In the end you ‘treasures’ will evaporate and the sandy foundation beneath your palace will collapse.
3. So what really drives me? Do I value wisdom more than popularity, more than public acclaim, more than electronic gadgest? There are many ‘treasures’ that we can become devoted to, and all the while be ignorant to deeper character, integrity, truth or wisdom issues.
4. We are tempted to use power (trickery, violence, cruelty) or pleasure (seduction, enticement) to find wealth and happiness, but those paths lead to ruin.
5. Those who choose God’s way (character, integrity, truth, wisdom) will in the end remain firm. They may lose out on wordly success, they may face ridicule, they may have a tough life, but in the end they will survive and thrive. Those who seek short term success will experience long term suffering, but those who endure short term suffering will experience long term success.
6. Am I being enticed by power or pleasure? I have used by ‘power’ (opportunity, control, knowledge) to try to control others for my own benefit. And I have been enticed by ‘pleasure’ (comfort, ease, desires) to settle for less than God’s will, because for the moment it feels good.

PRAYER:
Lord, I sense that I am being enticed by the “easy way out”, but I also sense that there is no easy way out. In the end I need to do what You want me to do. Please help me to know what that is, or to trust that You will make Your will known to me whatever path I choose. Amen.