1-4 My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5-6 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7-9 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. 10-11 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.  Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Proverbs 2:1-11 New Living Translation.

Now and then one hears of someone in the UK who went out with a metal detector and found a treasure of ancient coins in a field. Jesus used an example like that to tell us of how valuable God's Kingdom is. In Matthew 13:44 He said: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” We're not told if the man was looking for treasure or found it by accident, but we are told he was willing to sell all his possessions to make the treasure his own. Today's short reading uses the word 'treasure' three time to tell us of something very valuable, but which we also won't find by accident. We have to search really earnestly for it.

Look again at vs 1-4 to see what it is that's so valuable, and the words he uses to describe how we should look for it.

Verses 5-6 describe what this treasure consists of. But here's where we need to be very honest with ourselves. Do we really place value on the treasure these verses speak of? Would we be willing to lose all we own as long as we could have what God gives?

One big difference between treasures of the world and God's treasure is that we have to carefully guard any worldly treasures we have. But what do verses 7-9 tell us about God and the treasure He gives?

Did you also pick up on those words 'shield', 'guards', 'protects', 'find the right way', 'watch over you' and 'keep you safe'! What God gives through His word will watch over us and lead us in the right direction at all times. No wonder Jesus said:“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20.

So do we search after God's wisdom in a way that shows we regard it as our greatest treasure? It's not something we will discover if we're not earnestly looking for it.