How can Proverbs 23:23 guide our decisions in a materialistic society? The Verse in Focus “Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction, and understanding.” ‑ Proverbs 23:23 Setting the Scene • Written as parental counsel in Proverbs 23, the command lands in a section warning against fleeting pleasures (vv. 19-21) and destructive envy (vv. 17-18). • Verse 23 is the hinge: a call to invest in what outlasts every earthly appetite. Why the Language of Buying? • Buying implies cost. Truth will require time, humility, and sometimes financial resources (books, schooling, missions, benevolence). • Not selling means refusing to trade truth for convenience, popularity, or profit. The image is a marketplace—our hearts are stalls; society bids high for compromise. Truth’s Companions Wisdom, instruction, understanding—three facets of the same treasure: 1. Wisdom: skill for living God’s way (Proverbs 4:7). 2. Instruction: disciplined teaching that shapes character (2 Timothy 3:16). 3. Understanding: discernment that sees beneath the surface (Psalm 119:99-100). Clashing with a Materialistic Culture • Culture says, “Acquire things”; Scripture says, “Acquire truth.” • Materialism measures worth by possessions; Proverbs 23:23 measures success by faithfulness. • Jesus reinforces this reversal: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Practical Ways to ‘Buy the Truth’ Today 1. Budget for eternal priorities – Support gospel work, Christian education, and the needy (1 Timothy 6:18-19). 2. Schedule truth-seeking – Set aside prime daily time for Scripture intake; truth costs precious minutes. 3. Filter media and entertainment – Decide if content strengthens or cheapens your hold on truth (Philippians 4:8). 4. Choose mentors wisely – Invest in relationships with believers who prize truth over trends (Proverbs 13:20). 5. Work with integrity – Refuse dishonest gain even when it means slower career advancement (Proverbs 10:9). Guarding Against ‘Selling’ the Truth • Watch for compromise under pressure: changing convictions to fit the crowd (Galatians 1:10). • Beware the lure of wealth: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). • Resist intellectual drift: popular philosophies that contradict Scripture (Colossians 2:8). Evaluating Decisions with Proverbs 23:23 Ask, “Will this choice…” – deepen my grasp of God’s truth? – demand I weaken or sell that truth? – move resources toward eternal impact? – model wisdom to those watching my life? If the answer lines up with buying, proceed; if it smells like selling, walk away (Mark 8:36). The Ultimate Investment Portfolio • Earthly assets perish; truth accrues eternal dividends (1 Peter 1:24-25). • When Christ returns, only investments in wisdom, instruction, and understanding will follow us home (Revelation 22:12). Takeaway In a culture obsessed with price tags, Proverbs 23:23 flips the sign: truth is the one commodity worth any cost—and never worth selling, no matter the offer. |
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