The words of Scripture are powerful and life changing. We call the Bible the word of God because it is his message, preserved throughout history, to help people know him as their God. John called Jesus “the Word” because God so loved the world that he wanted us to have his Word in the flesh.

It is easy to become too casual with our Bibles. We are able to consume Scripture in so many ways today. I own coffee cups, dish towels, and coasters decorated with a verse from the Bible. It is good to read the Bible each day and surround ourselves with the words of God. But Scripture isn’t just casual information to know; it is the wisdom and instruction of God so that we can know him and live for him.

Proverbs 8:10–11 reminds us that the most valuable thing we own is our Bible. There are no riches in this world that we should desire more than to know and understand Scripture. God didn’t intend for us to simply read the words; we are called to study Scripture and incorporate each lesson into our lives.

It is possible to know a great deal of Scripture and a great deal of theology and still miss knowing the voice and leadership of God’s truth. The Pharisees and Sadducees had dedicated their lives to knowing God’s laws, but they missed knowing God and hearing his voice when Jesus, God Incarnate, stood in front of them. The same thing can be true in our lives today.

We shouldn’t study the Bible simply for the sake of knowledge. We should study the Bible for the sake of understanding. The author of the proverb said, “Wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

God’s priorities are wisdom. God left us his wisdom in his word. The next time you pick up your Bible to read, choose to study instead. Wisdom is knowing what to do with the information you have. We have God’s priorities written on the pages of our Bibles. We have God’s wisdom when we study to understand his word.