“If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:4-5).
People look for all kinds of things. People explore areas of the world to discover deposits of valuable resources. People seek for “happiness” or “meaning to life.” People even look to “find themselves.” The Bible is not a discourager of seeking and searching. As a matter of fact, it encourages such activity, yet only to seek and search for the right object. Paul stated in Athens Greece, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:” (Acts 17:26-27). What is involved in the concepts of seeking and searching? Consider three thoughts.
1. Intently Searching. Some look, but they do not want to look too hard or too long. If anyone wants to truly know something about a specific matter, he must put his mind to it. It takes intent to truly know God. It takes willingness to dig to find the truth of matters. Laziness is a great hindrance to productivity. Solomon wrote, “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat” (Prov. 13:4). Thus, “The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason” (Prov. 26:16). The lazy one thinks he knows what is best and yet is deceived in his own ignorance. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is a book on seeking and searching with a purpose in mind. One does not accidently find God and the truths of life. Even when truths are presented one can be blinded by his own prejudices and never see. Solomon wrote, “A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth” (Prov. 14:6).
2. Intelligently Searching. It takes an intelligent search to find truth. Paul wrote, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). The original word here translated “circumspectly” (Eph. 5:15) is from the word meaning “exactly, accurately, diligently” (Thayer, p. 24). An illustration of intelligent searching is in the wise men of the east who sought Jesus. They saw the star but still needed more information. Once they learned that Bethlehem was the place, their search was complete. Oddly enough it was Herod who said to them, “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also” (Matt. 2:8). Seeking and searching must involve intelligent reasoning with the facts to arrive at the truth. It is the workman who rightly divides the word of truth (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15).
3. Internalized Searching. Arriving at truth is not just an exercise in investigating or a mere academic pursuit. It ultimately involves incorporating into life the truths that are found. “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things” (Prov. 28:5). Evil men do not obey. Those who know God are the obedient to God’s word (cf. 1 John 2:3-5). True knowledge is applied knowledge (cf. 2 Peter 1:8). Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). This seeking is the kind that finds.
Jimmy Clark