After a long night of drinking, a foolish young man hoping to impress his mates jumped into his car and sped around the neighborhood. Before long, a telephone pole jumped out in front. His horrified mates pulled him from the burning wreck and called an ambulance, but it was clear he only had minutes to live. Crowding around him, his mates heard him gasp his final words, ‘I’d pay anything NOT to have done that.’ His mates all agreed… his dying words were very wise in hindsight.
Wisdom is beyond price. Ask anyone in hindsight how much they would pay to reverse the foolish act that led to the death of loved ones. Ask the invalid in a wheelchair, crippled through their own stupidity, how much they would give to regain the use of their body. Ask the drug addict who has ruined their life, how much they would offer not to have started the habit. And ask the person infected from a one-night-stand with aids, the amount they would pay to reverse the decision of that foolish night.
Wisdom not only gives us the ability to do the right thing but, more importantly, the discernment not to do the wrong thing. God invests large portions of the Bible in teaching wisdom – our attainment of which is said to be more precious than gold, silver and expensive stones. It is interesting to note that we give priority to educating our children in ways of becoming successful and wealthy, but neglect the lessons of becoming wise. (Proverbs 3:13-16)