THE RICHEST INVESTMENT
(Wisdom is the Ultimate Currency)
Thursday, 17 September
TO THE BIBLE – Proverbs 8:10-11
“Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.”
The conversation started casually after school.
A group of students lingered near the gates, talking about summer plans, future careers, and who was already positioning themselves for the best opportunities. Someone mentioned a paid internship that had opened up through a family connection—limited spots, good money for a student, the kind of thing that looked impressive on any application.
One of the guys glanced at Jordan. “You should go for it. You’re smart enough. Better than just… studying and praying about everything.”
The comment wasn’t open mockery, but it carried an edge. Across the small circle, Tyler stood with his usual friends. He didn’t speak, yet his presence made the moment feel heavier than it should have. The unresolved tension from previous weeks still had a way of surfacing in quiet looks and offhand remarks.
Later, walking home, Jordan brought it up.
“It would be easy to chase that kind of thing,” he said. “The money. The status. Something that looks like real progress to everyone else. Part of me thinks I should be more aggressive about getting ahead while I can.”
Maya adjusted the strap of her bag. “That’s the exact choice the Bible puts in front of us. A million dollars in the account right now, or the wisdom to create, manage, and multiply what you need for a lifetime. Most people grab at the first one. Solomon didn’t. He asked for wisdom. And because he did, the riches and honour still came—without him having to trade his priorities for them.”
Jordan was quiet for a few steps. “So you’re saying ignore opportunities?”
“No,” Maya answered. “I’m saying don’t make them the main pursuit. Wisdom is the principal thing. When you go after the Word and let it shape how you decide, you end up dealing wisely with school, friendships, pressure—everything. The other things follow. Chase the shortcuts or the image, and you can end up with empty hands even if you look successful for a while.”
They stopped at the corner where their paths usually split. The internship talk still hung in the air, along with the lingering sense that Tyler’s circle was still measuring them.
Jordan exhaled. “I’ve spent a lot of time wanting the visible win first. The grade. The approval. The thing that shuts people up. But the last couple of weeks only worked because we chose the Word over the reaction. Maybe that’s the real investment.”
Maya nodded. “It is. Go for wisdom. Let everything else take its proper place.”
The social undercurrent remained unfinished. Opportunities and opinions would keep coming. Yet the priority between them had been clarified again: the richest investment was not the one that looked most impressive in the moment.
It was the one that would still be working long after the moment passed.
ACT
Before making any choice today, no matter how small, stop and ask: “What would wisdom do here?” Then act accordingly.