Wisdom That God Gives

Chuckle: A teacher was ending a discussion in her fourth grade class on the importance of curiosity. She asked, "Where would we be today if no one had ever been curious?" One student piped up, "In the Garden of Eden?"

Quote: “Wisdom is the power that enables us to use knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.” --Thomas J. Watson

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5 NIV).

If God said He would grant you one request, what would you ask for? God said this very thing to Solomon who was about to assume kingship of Israel upon the death of his father, David. Solomon's one request to God was for wisdom and a discerning heart (1 Kings 3:5-12). God was so pleased with his request that He made him the wisest man who had ever lived; and also blessed him beyond belief in other ways.

Today, we live in the information age, where knowledge is king. We know more than we have ever known, yet true wisdom seems to be on the decrease. We must understand that wisdom is much more than knowledge. Wisdom is taking knowledge and using it in a practical way to better one's self and others. The Greek word for wisdom, "sophia," means the practical use of knowledge. How many truly wise people do you know?

John Blanchard says, "Wisdom is the ability to discern God's hand in human circumstances and to apply heavenly judgments to earthly situations." Wisdom is the ability to see life as God sees it, and act accordingly. In James 3:13-18, we find two basic kinds of wisdom; earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. Earthly wisdom is marked by "bitter envy and selfish ambition, is unspiritual, of the devil." Heavenly (divine) wisdom is "first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

You see, the kind of wisdom God wants us to have only He can give -- the kind of wisdom that we should desire most. Let me ask you: When you face a major crisis or decision in your life, what is your first thought for a source of the wisdom needed to deal with the issue? Many of us have a tendency to trust in our own knowledge and understanding to provide us the answer. Thus, we exhaust all our own strength trying to deal with the situation, when, in fact, our first action should have been to ask God for His wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV tells us:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight (direct your paths)."

We should study and acquire all the earthly knowledge and understanding available. However, when it comes to the practical application of what you have learned, turn to the One who will give you His wisdom. God wants to make us wise through his Word, prayer, His indwelling Spirit and through the Godly teachings of wise Christians. But, we must be willing to listen and learn. . . .!

 

Love, Jerry & Dotse