Wisdom | Imitate Series
Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
I’d like to begin with a short story that gives a little insight on today’s topic.
Two Teachers
Two teachers were once applying for the same Vice-Principal position at a local high school. One had been teaching a total of 8 years and the other a total of 20.
Everyone expected the teacher with the greater experience to get the job, but when a decision was made it was the person with 8 years teaching who was chosen.
The teacher overlooked for the job complained bitterly – “I’ve got 20 years teaching to her 8” he cried. “I’m vastly more qualified.”
The School Board’s reply went like this: “Yes sir, you do have 20 years teaching to her 8, but where she has 8 years experience you have 1 years experience repeated 20 times.”
Simply experiencing the passage of time doesn’t mean we have grown or learned from those things we experience during that time.
Source: unknown
This story is a great example to remind us that we can never expect that experience automatically places us in the position of the most qualified. It is through what we learn from these experiences that brings invaluable wisdom. This is why the Bible teaches us that trials and tribulations are of great benefit to us because they help to mould our character into becoming more like Christ (Romans 5:3-5).
When we hear the word wisdom, we may think of some mysterious substance that sits upon the horizon where we know its beauty is exceedingly great for us to behold, yet its treasure seems to be far-reaching. However, wisdom is something that is completely attainable for those who truly seek after it.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
God’s Word assures us that He will give wisdom to His children if we’d only ask for it. And to ask for it is the first step of humbly acknowledging that we, in and of ourselves, do not naturally flow with this beautiful characteristic – on the contrary, we often think that something is wise when it actually is not. When we’re wise in our own eyes, we will walk towards folly, and the only way to stop ourselves from falling into this trap is to fear the Lord.
Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
In what way are we to fear the Lord? There have been many damaging opinions and teachings throughout the Pentecostal and Evangelical denominations that have led Christians to believe that we should view God as our daddy whom we can hi-five. The problem with this view is that it distorts the believer’s ideology of who God really is, and without even realising it, the believer begins to lower their depiction of God’s holiness and sovereignty, which in turn removes the reverential fear they should always have for almighty God.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Let us never be caught up in this messy belief, and if we have been, we must assert ourselves to go back to the Word of God and realign our beliefs with the teachings of its pages alone – not our church, pastor, mentor or friend if they don’t line up with the Bible. It’s only when we realise the superiority of God and His perfect holiness that we will correctly fear Him with a reverential fear – and this fear is the beginning of us obtaining true godly wisdom.
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
As this wisdom establishes and grows, we will mature in our faith and learn to trust that God’s ways are better than our ways because wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, merciful, fruitful, impartial and sincere.
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
God’s wisdom is a tremendous blessing for all who find it.
Proverbs 3:13
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding...
It is a greater blessing to get wisdom than gold. There’s no treasure on this earth that can even compare to the amazing and miraculous beauty of one who holds wisdom and understanding.
Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
What a precious gift this attribute is that the Lord bestows upon us, for it is through this godly wisdom that we will mature in Christ.
Colossians 2:2-3
...that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
We all know that Solomon asked for wisdom, even though he could’ve asked for anything else – and his decision was one that was well-pleasing to the Lord (1 Kings 3:9-12). Yet something that Solomon came to realise over time, and we will too when we begin to humbly walk with our eyes open to wisdom and truth, is that with much knowledge (wisdom), comes much sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.
The reason for this is because as we grow and mature in Christ, we come to realise on a higher level, our own sinful nature and just how far we fall short from glorifying God. We also come to understand just how great the problem is with biblical distortion and false teachings – seeing through the eyes of wisdom how many professing Christians are falling away from the faith and don’t even see it (Matthew 24:10), while the world continue to mock God and refuse to bow their knee to Him.
Seeing these travesties brings great sorrow upon the wise believer, for he has a heart after God and His will and therefore what is close to God’s heart, is also close to him, so seeing the wickedness that is running rampant against God brings the greatest grief one could behold.
Yet it is through this sorrow that the wise believer will rise up in faith, holding fast to God’s Word and sharing the truth of God’s love and grace to all who will listen. Those who won’t listen (and the Bible says there will be many who won’t), will mock the truth that is spoken from the wise believer’s mouth and resent them for it, choosing instead to avoid those who are wise in order to evade correction so they can remain as they are in their sinful state.
Proverbs 15:12
Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise.
When wisdom is something that all seem to admire, how can there be those who will choose to dodge it?
It is arrogance that causes one to stay in a position of strife and not cry out for help. In order to get out of the chaos, we must first be willing to let go of our selfish ambitions that led us to accept living in sin and turn a blind eye to it ... and the only way we can remove that prideful arrogance is by humbling ourselves.
Proverbs 13:10
Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised.
It takes humility to acknowledge that we’ve gone the wrong way.
It takes humility to repent before the Lord and turn from our wicked ways.
It takes wisdom to trust God with our future.
It takes wisdom to heed godly advice.
Wisdom is only found in genuine humility.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
If we don’t humble ourselves and acknowledge our sin when we commit it, we will become hard-hearted and conceited, refusing to listen to wise advice, and instead, will cause much pain in our own life and in the lives of those closest to us.
Proverbs 14:1
The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
How sad it is when we unknowingly cause our own demise, all because we allowed that layer of ice to form on our heart by choosing to hold onto our pride instead of remembering that we are all sinners who are in need of God’s mercy and should constantly walk in repentance.
Let’s be wise in hearing the Word of God and receiving it into our heart – holding on tightly to godly wisdom which is a solid foundation that will steady our journey through this life.
Matthew 7:24
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
And if there are areas in our lives where we know we’ve gone wrong, or perhaps there are hidden sins that we’re not aware of, let us be quick to repent and turn away from those sins, asking God to also reveal and purge any sins that we’re also blind to. It is with this heart attitude that we will be walking a righteous life as a wise follower of Christ our Lord.
Proverbs 24:14
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
-- By Jen Ayling