Pay the price Paul Chappell Friday, Aug 23, 2013 "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." Proverbs 23:23 In 1867, US Secretary of State William Seward made one of the best deals in the history of the country. After several years of negotiations with Russia, he completed an agreement to purchase what is now the state of Alaska to become part of the United States. The price of $7,000,000 was a significant sum of money in those days, and many people derided the decision. The Alaska purchase was referred to as “Seward’s folly” and “Seward’s ice box.” One critic even referred to Alaska as a “polar bear garden.” But in the end, the purchase proved to be an amazing investment. Seward paid about two cents per acre for a land area equal to one fifth of the rest of the United States. And the discovery of gold, oil, and other natural resources in later years made the purchase an even better payoff. Though it is doubtful that Seward had any idea of all that would follow from his purchase, he was wise enough to recognize an opportunity and take advantage of it while it was available. Each day we are presented with a variety of options for how we will use our time, our talents, and our money. But while the options may be nearly limitless, our resources are not. That means we must make choices—selecting some things and rejecting others. The path of wisdom is to choose what is important and eternal, and make our investments in those areas. Solomon counseled his son to “buy the truth,” because it is something that lasts. There will always be things that we must leave behind, sometimes even good things, if we want to spend our lives on what is best. By filling our hearts and minds with the Word of God, we will be able to identify what matters most and choose that. Today’s Proverbs Precept: Keep your focus on the things that really matter and make sure you are investing in what is eternal.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 22:15:48 +0000
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