Adorned With an Earring of Gold

FROM the earliest of times, gold jewelry has been highly esteemed for its value and beauty. Upon becoming prime minister in Egypt, Joseph received a gold necklace from Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:42) Rebekah was given a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets, worth about $1,400 (U.S.) in today’s values. (Genesis 24:22) Without a doubt, these precious gifts were accepted with gratitude and worn with pleasure.

The Bible speaks of figurative jewelry that is worth far more than that worn by Joseph and Rebekah. Proverbs 25:12 states: “An earring of gold, and an ornament of special gold, is a wise reprover upon the hearing ear.” When a counselor gives advice based on God’s Word rather than on his own opinion, he is truly imparting a valuable gift. Why? Because ultimately such counsel comes from Jehovah himself. The Bible tells us: “The discipline of Jehovah, O my son, do not reject; and do not abhor his reproof, because the one whom Jehovah loves he reproves, even as a father does a son in whom he finds pleasure.” (Proverbs 3:11, 12) When the listener humbly accepts and applies the counsel, he is as if adorning himself with an earring of gold. It is just as the inspired Bible proverb says: “Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself.”—Proverbs 3:13, 14.