You have not because you ask not

I have always been fascinated with the great historians, archaeologists and adventurers of ages past, determined and focussed and sometimes obsessed – I agree, to solve riddles and excavate evidence to proof wars, determine customs and decipher languages of people who lived aeons ago. Listen to this:

• It took Jean-Francois Champollion 23 years to crack the code of two of the three ancient texts on the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered when he was 8 years old.
• Howard Carter worked in Egypt as an archaeologist for 31 years. The last five years, sponsored by Lord Carnarvon, he focussed his attention on the Valley of the Kings where they finally found the famous burial chamber of King Tut, the boy-king.
• Heinrich Schliemann, global businessman, active from Russia to California, used his own fortune in his twenty-year search of the long-lost ancient city of Troy.

As these men persevered, willing to face financial ruin, professional ridicule and personal failure — all to proof their theories, God expects us to diligently study and search for Wisdom. While it is true that Lady Wisdom frequents public spaces, making her easily accessible, as we emphasised two weeks ago, we dare not ignore her elusive and mysterious nature. In fact, it is through this enigmatic personality that Wisdom together with her main attributes, discernment and understanding, keeps us yearning for a fuller revelation of all she has to offer.

 Solomon is therefore unambiguous in his advice that we are to call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding as if we are looking for silver and searching for hidden treasure![1]  This should never be a leisurely side-line activity we occasionally engage in, rather there should be a holy urgency about our pursuit and a zealous intensity to our seeking, as the original Greek and Hebrew words suggest.

 Many years ago, my husband worked among the gold diggers in Zimbabwe – burrowing tunnels deep into the earth to pan heaps of rocks and dirt in the shallow waters of the Angwa river. Using tiny candles and crawling deep into a conglomerate of side tunnels, they searched diligently and daily, for every gram of gold dust ensured food on the table and clothes on their bodies. Always, the rumours of friends who found significant clumps kept their gold dreams alive to also one day strike it rich.

 For us too, there is this promise of a treasure trove of wisdom waiting this side of eternity, stockpiled with insight, instruction, discretion, guidance and understanding. No wonder we are repeatedly encouraged throughout this unique book to make our asking and patient searching the daily discipline of our lives.

 When Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge God’s people and distinguish between good and evil, God also granted him wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore, the Bible says.[2] It is my prayer, that we too will ask wisely and that winning more souls for Christ will top everyone’s list, for we all have family members, friends and colleagues, undecisive or confused and therefore still outside the fold.

 The blessing on those who find wisdom and gain understanding is profound, for the Bible says she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; and nothing we desire can compare with her.[3] May this profound promise spur us on to action and may our wise investments bring us eternal treasures in heaven.

 OUR GRACE CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK: Let us implore God to show us how to reach more souls for Christ. Then, let us direct our prayers, our giving and our going – as in active outreach, around those people. 

[1] Proverbs 2:3,4

[2] 1 Kings 4:29

[3] Proverbs 3: 13 – 15