By Lisa S. Tarno

The idea of treasure hunting has always appealed to me. Who isn’t interested in seeing footage of divers discovering a ship that has sunk or unearth hidden treasure buried from a time before? Personally, it intrigues me. I love the book of Proverbs and studying it is very much like a treasure hunt. “Search for [wisdom] as for hidden treasure…” Proverbs 2:4

You see when we seek after wisdom we will understand the fear of the LORD. Proverbs 1:7 states, ” The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” This is where it begins…REVERENCE, not scary kind of fear, but reverential fear of the LORD. Have we watered down who God is so much that we have lost our reverence? Have we acknowledged him as the “Guy in the Sky” or the “Man Upstairs”? He is so much MORE than that. Reframing that is key to acquiring knowledge and ultimately wisdom.

Knowledge is “Information, understanding or skill that you get from experience or education.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary) Wisdom is, “Knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life. The natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand. Having good sense or judgement.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary) That said, the saying that many only know the beginning part, “Experience is the best teacher….” many don’t know or recite the latter half, “For a fool learns by no other way.” Wisdom for me in my life has been to look at others’ mistakes and decide to take a different route. For the most part it has served me well to have good sense and judgement but I am human and have made many mistakes as well.

Back to the treasure hunt analogy, when we seek the giver of all wisdom, God, our eyes will be opened to the multi-layered tiers of cascading and endless wisdom! Discovering God’s wisdom and receiving it from Him is mind boggling and that elicits a deep reverence for Him!! “For the LORD gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6

An even deeper treasure is to be found as we journey through the very hardships of life. In order to make it through, one must dig very deep to find footing, meaning and purpose from the sorrow and devastation that seems senseless and create doubt that God is good. Hindsight will teach, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may [KNOW] that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”Isaiah 45:3 Sorrow is the hardest school master but where the most is learned.

From Streams in the Desert,: “I walked a mile with Pleasure, she chattered all the way, and left me none the wiser, for all she had to say…..I walked a mile with Sorrow, and n’ere a word said she, but oh the things I learned from her, when Sorrow walked with me.”

When we first revere God as GOD, we can then begin the delightful path of discovery of knowledge and wisdom. The thing about wisdom is we can never have too much nor can we exhaust the breadth or depth of it!