The Suitcase

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6)

Let’s imagine a situation you may have experienced. You have this elderly person in your neighborhood or on your street always, and everyone thinks that the guy is a little off. One day, you come home from school or work, and you find out that he died. As word of his death makes its rounds, you come to find out that before he died he had hid a suitcase full of money somewhere in the neighborhood. Rumors fly that there may be as much as a million dollars in the suitcase.

How would you react if you knew there was a bag of money in a nearby secret location, and there was nobody who could rightfully say it was theirs? If you what I would do, I have to be pretty honest – I would be one of the first people out there in the wee hours of the morning searching for any clues to lead me to the loot!

Now, let’s change the situation just a little bit. Let’s say that instead of a suitcase full of money, word gets around that something the elderly neighbor buried something more valuable than money – in fact, people find out that he buried a suitcase full of…wisdom. And, let’s say word gets around that he didn’t bury it in a secret location…in fact, he placed the suitcase full of wisdom in a known place, just waiting to be claimed by the first lucky person! The question today is – would you pursue the easily found suitcase full of wisdom as hard as you would pursue to secretly buried suitcase full of money?!

You have to admit; today’s culture teaches us that the search for the money is a lot more exciting than the easier search for wisdom. You and your family may think, “Wow, if I could only get my hands on that free money, how great life would be! No more bills! All the cool stuff we could ever want! A new car every year!”

But would all that money help you, or your family, or your friends, when you are struggling with doubts about your life? Doubts about how to live your life? Doubts about God? Could all that money give you direction in your life? Could a cool million bucks help you resist a temptation that could ruin your life?

The great thing about that suitcase of wisdom is that it can do all of those things! Wisdom can help you live your life better – today! Wisdom can bring you closer to God. And wisdom can change your role in the life of others looking for purpose and meaning.

You have a choice to make. If you choose the suitcase full of money, people will see you as shallow, as a gold-digger, as someone who values material things over everything else, including other people. But, if you choose the suitcase full of wisdom, people around you will start to notice immediately. People will see you as a mature believer, as someone to go to for advice and counsel, as someone who can even mentor others. Imagine being able to make a positive difference in someone’s life – today. Wow! And that’s what wisdom can do for you today.
Are you ready to start your search for wisdom? If you are, there is a great map where it shows clearly where that suitcase of wisdom is located.

It’s your bible.

And the starting point is the book of Proverbs.

The search will not always be easy, nor will it likely be a quick mission. In fact, it will probably take the rest of your life. But the reward will be great.

Have a great day today. And remember to love those in and around your life as Jesus loves you.