“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”
— Proverbs 3:16
Throughout our 3:16s of the Bible series, we have discovered beautiful portraits of Jesus woven throughout Scripture.
We have seen Jesus as our Great Deliverer, the Father’s Great Gift, the Living Word, and God’s Holy Temple. Each passage reveals another aspect of Christ’s character and God’s redemptive plan.
Now we arrive at Proverbs 3:16, where Scripture introduces us to another remarkable truth:
Jesus is the Great Wisdom We Need.
The world tells us to trust ourselves. God tells us to trust Him.
Those two messages could not be more different.
When Experts Point Us in the Right Direction
This week our church welcomed a team from Church Doctors. Their purpose was simple: to help us see what we often cannot see ourselves. They listened carefully, observed objectively, and offered valuable insight into the opportunities God has placed before our congregation.
At nearly the same time, we were working through a frustrating air-conditioning problem. After several visits from our repair technician, the source of the problem finally became clear.
Neither experience was enjoyable in the moment. Discovering problems rarely is.
Yet identifying the real problem is often the first step toward finding the right solution.
The same principle is true spiritually.
Our culture often views admitting weakness as failure. Scripture teaches the exact opposite. A humble heart that admits its need is the beginning of wisdom.
As Proverbs reminds us,
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10)
True wisdom begins when we recognize that God sees what we cannot.
Wisdom Begins with Humble Dependence
Perhaps no verses summarize biblical wisdom better than Proverbs 3:5–7:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Notice what Solomon contrasts.
The opposite of wisdom is not merely ignorance.
It is pride.
The fool says:
- “I already know.”
- “I can handle this.”
- “I don’t need correction.”
- “I’ll decide what is right.”
But the wise person responds very differently:
- “Lord, I need You.”
- “My understanding is limited.”
- “Teach me Your ways.”
- “Show me what I cannot see.”
One of the sayings that became popular years ago was:
Garbage in. Garbage out.
What fills our minds eventually shapes our decisions, our attitudes, and ultimately our lives.
The old phrase, “stinking thinking produces stinking living,” still contains a great deal of truth.
Wisdom begins by allowing God’s truth—not the world’s opinions—to shape our thinking.
The fear of the Lord is not terror.
It is reverence.
It is surrender.
It is acknowledging,
God is God… and I am not.
Ironically, asking questions is not evidence of ignorance.
It is often evidence of wisdom.
Wise people never stop learning because they never stop depending upon God.
One truth continues to challenge me:
Wisdom begins when I stop pretending that I can see what only God can see.
Jesus Is God’s Wisdom
The New Testament takes Solomon’s teaching even further.
Jesus is not simply a wise teacher.
He is wisdom itself.
Paul writes,
“Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24)
Later he says,
“Christ Jesus… has become for us wisdom from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Colossians adds,
“In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)
That changes everything.
Jesus does not merely point us toward wisdom.
Jesus is the wisdom we desperately need.
There is an old joke that says,
“An expert is simply someone from out of town.”
Sometimes that’s true.
But genuine wisdom isn’t measured by credentials.
A truly wise person is humble enough to admit that they still need God—and often need the counsel of others as well.
Wisdom Holds Both Hands Full
Proverbs 3:16 paints a beautiful picture:
“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.”
One hand offers life.
The other offers riches and honor.
This is not a promise that every believer will become wealthy or live to be one hundred years old.
The Proverbs are not guarantees.
They are principles describing how life generally flourishes when lived according to God’s design.
Wisdom helps us avoid destructive choices.
It steers us away from reckless living, uncontrolled anger, crushing debt, addictions, violence, laziness, pride, impulsiveness, and unhealthy relationships.
Years ago, while working with young people on probation, I witnessed firsthand how one foolish decision could permanently alter a life. One young man climbed onto the roof of a moving vehicle to “surf.” Moments later he fell to his death.
Foolishness can destroy in an instant.
Wisdom protects.
But there is an even deeper truth.
Long life is not merely about having more birthdays.
It is about living every day with God’s purpose.
Someone once said,
“Wisdom doesn’t simply add years to your life—it adds life to your years.”
That may be the greater blessing.
The Riches That Truly Matter
What does Solomon mean by “riches and honor”?
Certainly not a guarantee of financial prosperity.
Instead, wisdom develops qualities that naturally produce stability and influence.
Wisdom teaches diligence.
Integrity.
Patience.
Self-control.
Faithfulness.
Stewardship.
Credibility.
Those qualities often produce lasting respect and trustworthy influence.
More importantly, wisdom gives us treasures money cannot buy.
A person may have wealth but no peace.
Possessions but no joy.
Success but no purpose.
Popularity but no honor.
Proverbs reminds us that the richest life is the one ordered under God’s leadership.
I sometimes ask people a simple question.
Would you rather receive $50,000 today or one penny doubled every day for thirty days?
The answer surprises many people.
The power of compounding reminds us that steady wisdom often accomplishes far more than impulsive decisions.
The same principle applies spiritually.
Small daily acts of obedience produce lifelong transformation.
The Cross: God’s Greatest Display of Wisdom
The greatest expression of God’s wisdom is found where the world least expected it.
The Cross.
Human wisdom says:
Power wins.
Jesus showed us that sacrificial love conquers.
The world says:
Climb higher.
Jesus says:
Humble yourself.
The world says:
Protect yourself.
Jesus says:
Lose your life, and you will truly find it.
The world says:
Take the throne.
Jesus embraced the Cross.
What appeared to be weakness became God’s greatest victory.
What appeared to be foolishness became eternal wisdom.
Living Wisely Today
Wisdom grows best in community.
None of us was intended to walk alone.
One practical pattern I’ve found helpful is this:
- Have someone older who mentors you.
- Walk beside an accountability friend who challenges you.
- Invest in someone younger whom you intentionally encourage.
That simple rhythm keeps us learning, growing, and giving.
Final Thoughts
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because wisdom begins when we finally admit that God knows better than we do.
That is why Proverbs ultimately points us to Christ.
Jesus is not merely the giver of wisdom.
He is God’s Wisdom in human flesh.
When we trust Him instead of ourselves, we discover the life, purpose, peace, and lasting riches that no amount of human effort can ever manufacture.
May we never stop seeking His wisdom.
For in Christ, we discover the greatest treasure of all.
The Crescent Wrench Principle
Years ago, if you walked into a mechanic’s toolbox, you would find dozens of individual wrenches—each designed for one specific size of nut or bolt. If you didn’t have the correct wrench, the job often came to a frustrating halt.
Then someone invented the adjustable crescent wrench.
Instead of carrying an entire collection of tools, one wrench could be adjusted to fit almost any size fastener. It didn’t eliminate the need for every other tool, but it became the one tool you reached for first because it could handle so many situations.
God’s wisdom is much like that.
Life presents us with countless problems. We face decisions about our families, our finances, our relationships, our health, our work, and our future. We often search for a different answer to every new challenge, collecting advice from countless voices and hoping that one of them will fit our situation.
Yet Scripture points us to one source that is sufficient for every circumstance.
Jesus Christ:
He is not simply one helpful resource among many. He is the wisdom of God for every season of life.
His truth adjusts to every circumstance—not because truth changes, but because God’s eternal truth is perfectly suited to every human need. Whether we are searching for direction, comfort, correction, forgiveness, courage, or hope, we continually find that Christ is enough.
Just as a mechanic instinctively reaches for the crescent wrench before searching through an entire toolbox, followers of Christ should instinctively turn first to Jesus and His Word. Before we trust our own understanding, before we chase the opinions of culture, and before we rely solely upon our experience, we seek the wisdom found in Him.
The more I grow in my faith, the more I discover that life’s greatest answers are not found in having more information—they are found in knowing Christ more deeply.
After all, Paul reminds us:
· “Christ Jesus… has become for us wisdom from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
When we have Christ, we possess the One in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Every challenge may not have an easy solution, but every challenge can be faced with the wisdom of the One who holds all truth in His hands.
