I have a confession to make. I love honey. Specifically, I love creamed or whipped honey. Whipped honey, unlike its drizzly counterpart, is thick, creamy, spreadable and has the perfect, rich sweetness. My go to comfort food is a peanut butter and honey sandwich made with whipped honey. For Mother’s Day this year, Jude and Aaron gave me two rather large jars of specialty whipped honey made from bees all the way in Durango, Colorado. I don’t know if it’s the mountain air or the process this company uses to whip the honey, but this honey is the best honey I have ever put in my mouth. Just sitting here thinking about it, sets my mouth to watering.
Perhaps this is why Proverbs 24:13-14 grabbed my attention.
“My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.”
-Proverbs 24:13-14, NLT
What a vivid, tantalizing description! Wisdom, God’s wisdom, is as sweet as honey. But what is God’s wisdom and what makes it sweet? A read through Proverbs reveals that wisdom is a God-shaped way of living that begins with the fear of the Lord or responding to God rightly which then spills over into every area of life. But all too often we focus on what we have to give up, what we miss out on, or various other perceived negatives of living this way. However, the truth is living in this God-shaped way according to his wisdom is nourishing, sweet, and satisfying to our souls. Everything will not always be perfect, and we will still encounter trials and difficulties in life. But experiencing the soul-satisfying wisdom of God will only whet our appetites for more, just as the first taste of my Colorado honey made me declare no other honey exists anymore.
The next time you enjoy honey, let it remind you of the sweetness of wisdom.
Excuse me while I go make myself a peanut butter and honey sandwich.
