With a hurricane of turbulence on Wall Street this week, many people have been concerned about the safety of their investments. I too, have spent time in prayer over this issue, listening for God’s guidance on any changes my family should make to protect ourselves from potential loss. We own some stocks, and any time the Dow falls mortal mind whispers, or hollers, “You’ve lost some wealth!”

Honestly, though, a falling Dow doesn’t worry me much. Experienced experts, including Warren Buffet, counsel over and over that if you make sound investments for the long run, you don’t have to worry about short term aberrations. The integrity of your investment will prevail and reward you for sticking with it. I know this to be true and I’ve seen it many times.

But I have many clients who do worry about their investments and financial future, so I’m always listening for ideas and spiritual truths that dissolve their fears and bring calm. And the fear has been severe for some recently.

As I listened for inspiration this morning, I had a great Aha! moment.

“Wealth is wisdom!” an inner voice proclaimed.

I thought it through…

People fear for their wealth when they believe their riches are material. And this would be naturally so, because anything material is not reliable or dependable. It can disappear, be stolen, eroded, or gone in a puff of smoke as we seen recently with major financial houses toppling into bankruptcy in a matter of days. Material so-called wealth is not reliable at all. What is reliable is wisdom.

Wisdom comes from God, the all-knowing, all-wise Mind that has a solution for every problem we ever face. The exercise of wisdom builds portfolios and protects them. A lack of wisdom loses control and leads to diminution and decline.

Its wisdom that protects assets, preserves portfolios, stays out of dangerous debt, and prepares for tomorrow. Without wisdom, investors can be given large sums of money and lose it quickly because of poor decision-making. We’ve seen too much evidence of that. With wisdom, investors can make sound decisions and avoid the pitfalls of ignorance, greed and short-sighted goals.

The substance of true wealth is wisdom, and it should be the first item we seek when striving to demonstrate financial solvency and supply.

A lot of poor decisions have led to the banking crisis our economy faces today. These strenuous times are healing times really. An adjustment in course was needed. It’s a time for honest self-examination and a re-ordering of priorities from the crass and mindless pursuit of profit to constructing an economy that is guided by sound moral and spiritual principles.

“Be wiser than serpents,” Jesus Christ instructed. The serpent of greed and lust has taken a big bite out of our economy of recent. But we can be wiser. We can be wiser than the serpent. Through compassion, patience, understanding, unselfed love and wisdom, the economy will be rectified, and everyone will come out stronger and better for it.

Wisdom is wealth. When you have wisdom, you have the greatest riches of all, and human needs will be met through putting that wisdom into practice. There’s enough of it to go around for everyone, and we all can be enriched by it.

II Chron 1
7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9 Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.