Thursday, May 10, 2012

May 10 – What is Better than Gold?

Proverbs 8:19

My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield better than choicest silver. (NASB)

Have you ever seen, felt or tasted real gold? Actually in the raw you might pass it by as a dirty worthless rock or it may have sparkling veins of gold in it. It is a natural chemical element, known by the atomic symbol Au and atomic number 79. When gold is purified it is amazingly soft and easy to bend. Although you wouldn’t think that gold can be eaten, it is used as flakes or dust on or in some gourmet foods and drinks. There are some expensive drinks that have gold flakes in them, but they are purely decorative. The body does not absorb the gold; it merely passed through the digestive system. Gold is also used in dental restorations, like crowns and bridges. Silver, a natural chemical element, known by Ag and the atomic number 47, is a precious metal that is slightly harder than gold. It is used in a multitude of manufactured products including electronics, jewelry, mirrors and dental applications. It has been known to have antibacterial effects, but it is controversial for actual use with foods. People who have ingested large quantities of silver colloid have actually turned blue permanently. Thinking of smurfs?

At the current price of these metals, gold $1,634 per ounce and silver at $30 per ounce, most fruit is a bargain since apples would be only $0.06 per ounce. For food value, I’ll take the fruit any day! It is much tastier, too! Solomon uses the word “towb”, translated as “better” to describe the comparison between the fruit and the precious metals. The crop of any fruit would certainly out weight the mining of metal ore, but here Solomon is again referring to “wisdom.” Wisdom is a better value than gold or silver. It isn’t a substance that can be put on a scale and weighed, but it is a quality of the soul and mind that can guide you in making decisions much better than following that of a monetary standard. Which is going to be your guide in decision making? Money or wisdom?

Lord, you gave Solomon an abundance of wisdom. Please give us each a heaping portion today, that we would make good decisions for our lives and our families.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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