Daily Devotional — August 27, 2026

Truth Is a Treasure Worth Seeking, Keeping, and Living

Proverbs: God’s Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture

Proverbs 23:22–23 (KJV)

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and sell it not; also, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Proverbs 23:22–23 (AMP)

22 Listen to your father, who gave your life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy truth and do not sell it; get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Thought for the Day

Proverbs 23:22–23 brings together two principles that are essential to a life of godly wisdom: honoring those who have given us life and instruction, and valuing truth so greatly that we refuse to exchange it for anything less.

Verse 22 reminds us to listen to our father and not despise our mother when she grows old. Scripture repeatedly teaches us the importance of honoring our parents. The Fifth Commandment says, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12).

Honor does not mean that we must pretend that every decision a parent makes is perfect. Parents, like everyone else, are human and capable of making mistakes. Rather, biblical honor recognizes the significance of those who gave us life, sacrificed for us, taught us, corrected us, and helped shape the people we became.

As people grow older, society can sometimes place too much emphasis on youth while overlooking the experience and wisdom that often come with age. Proverbs challenge us to see older generations differently. Their years may have brought hardships, disappointments, failures, victories, lessons, and perspectives that cannot simply be learned from a book.

There is wisdom in listening.

There is humility in admitting that we do not know everything.

And there is maturity in learning from those who have walked portions of the road before us.

Paul reinforces this principle in Ephesians 6:1–3, teaching children to honor their father and mother. This principle can also remind us of the importance of respecting righteous teachers, mentors, spiritual leaders, and others who have faithfully instructed us.

Yet Proverbs do not stop honoring our elders. Verse 23 turns our attention to something even more precious:

“Buy the truth and sell it not.”

What does it mean to buy truth?

Truth has a cost—not because God’s truth can be bought with money, but because obtaining and living by truth requires something from us.

It requires time.

It requires studying.

It requires humility.

It sometimes requires us to admit that something we previously believed was incomplete or wrong.

And it requires courage when truth becomes inconvenient or unpopular.

Our time is one of the most valuable possessions God has entrusted to us. Once yesterday has passed, we cannot buy it back. Therefore, when we invest our time in God’s Word, prayer, learning, reflection, and righteous instruction, we are investing in something of eternal value.

Isaiah 55:1 beautifully illustrates God’s invitation:

“Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat.”

God’s truth is not sold to us as a commercial commodity. His invitation is gracious and freely extended. Yet receiving His truth requires us to respond—to look for, listen, learn, repent, believe, and live according to what He reveals.

The command “sell it not” is equally important.

The world can offer many things in exchange for truth: popularity, comfort, wealth, political influence, social acceptance, pride, convenience, or personal desires.

But no temporary possession is worth surrendering eternal truth.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we should therefore be careful not to confuse what is popular with what is true, or what is convenient with what is righteous.

Wisdom teaches us to examine what we hear.

Understanding teaches us to consider what we learn.

Discernment helps us distinguish truth from error.

And humility keeps us teachable.

The wise person does not believe everything simply because someone confidently says it. Nor does the wise person reject something merely because it challenges an existing opinion. Instead, the wise person seeks understanding, examines the matter carefully, prays for discernment, and measures what is learned against the principles of God’s Word.

A Lesson for Our Generation

Our world has never had greater access to information, yet access to information does not automatically produce wisdom.

We can receive thousands of messages in a single day and still misunderstand what truly matters.

That is why Proverbs stay so relevant.

Seek truth.

Value wisdom.

Listen to those who have earned the right to teach through experience and righteousness.

Remain humble enough to learn.

Remain discerning enough to question.

Remain courageous enough to stand for what is true.

And remain close to God because genuine wisdom begins with Him.

Life Application

Today, let us consider three questions:

1. Whom can I listen to more carefully?
There may be an older parent, grandparent, mentor, Church leader, teacher, or faithful friend whose wisdom deserves greater attention.

2. What truth am I seeking?
Am I spending enough time studying Scripture, praying, learning, and seeking understanding rather than simply accepting whatever information comes across my path?

3. Is there anything I am tempted to exchange for truth?
Popularity, pride, anger, convenience, political opinion, personal preference, or the desire to be accepted should never become more important than truth and righteousness.

A disciple of Christ should never be ashamed of truth—but neither should we use truth as a weapon against others.

Truth should be spoken with humility, wisdom, courage, and love.

Thoughts to Carry with You Today

Do not despise the wisdom of age, and do not trade away the truth you have worked so hard to discover. All things that are valuable should be guarded, and truth is among God’s greatest treasures.

Prayer for Today

Our Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank Thee for the gift of life, for our families, and for those who have sacrificed, taught, corrected, encouraged, and loved us throughout our lives.

Help us to honor our parents and elders with humility and genuine respect. Give us teachable hearts so that we may recognize wisdom when it is offered to us, regardless of the age or position of the person sharing it.

Father, help us never to become so proud that we believe we have nothing left to learn. Give us the humility to listen, the wisdom to evaluate what we hear, and the discernment to recognize what is true.

Help us to seek truth rather than simply seek confirmation of what we already believe. When we discover that we have been mistaken, give us courage and humility to acknowledge it and grow from it.

Teach us to value Thy truth above popularity, pride, convenience, or worldly approval. Help us to guard the truth once we have received it and never knowingly exchange it for something of lesser value.

Open our understanding. Increase our wisdom. Strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ. Help us to live what we believe and to speak truth with compassion, patience, humility, and love.

May our lives reflect the wisdom we have received, and may we leave behind a legacy of truth, faith, kindness, and righteousness for those who come after us.

We offer this prayer with gratitude and faith in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture to Remember

“Buy the truth and sell it not; also, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”
— Proverbs 23:23 (KJV)

In His Watchful Service,

Bro. Steven Parker Miller
CEO & Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups (GWIG)

“Standing Watch. Proclaiming Truth. Strengthening Faith through Jesus Christ”