“Your Work Is Not Your Life.” “Burnout to Flourishing.” These recent magazine article titles reflect our need to find wisdom that can help us live well.
Whether it’s making decisions at work or dealing with personal trials, time and time again we experience the pressing need to be wise. The pursuit of wisdom, however, is often confused with the pursuit of gaining more knowledge. Reading books, attending classes, or pursuing higher education may prove helpful, but one doesn’t naturally become wiser from these things. And while experience may count, age doesn’t necessarily translate to wisdom. Something else is required.
The Bible tells us it’s the “fear of the LORD” (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). Bible teacher Lawrence E. Toombs explains, “Wisdom is to be found with God, and nowhere else; and unless the quest for wisdom brings man to his knees in awe and reverence, knowing his own helplessness to make himself wise, wisdom remains for him a closed book.”
We understand why if we look at what true wisdom looks like. In James 3:17, the apostle lists seven marks of the wisdom that comes from God. These verses show us that being wise isn’t a matter of intellectual capacity, but an attitude, a character trait, and essentially, a life reflecting Jesus that flows from Him. It’s the fruit of someone who walks with God, fearing Him and being led into wisdom as He leads.
To navigate successfully through life, making decisions that honor God, requires that we seek the Source of all wisdom. As James exhorts, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you” (James 1:5). Yes, call out to God; He alone can give you the wisdom to live wisely for Him.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 2:41-52
More:
Read Job 28:12-28 and note what Job says is the key to obtaining wisdom.
Next:
Where have you been looking for wisdom? How does the “fear of the LORD” lead to truly wise thinking?
gary1schelvan on June 14, 2015 at 3:19 am
Ni hao Poh Fang Chia, I really like how you write your posts, this one is no different. I am currently living in Tianjin, China with my Chinese wife, and we have our own small school in our home to teach English to 7 to 10 yr old Chinese children. Every morning I read the NIV study Bible, going through the Bible in 1 year on a reading plan from InTouch Ministries, by Dr Charles Stanley. Before I start my reading, I close my eyes, it’s early morning when I can have very close and peaceful communion witht the Lord. I ask Him to grant me a discerning heart and the wisdom that can only come from Him, as Solomon did. Ineed His guidance and wisdom as I go through my life here in Tianjin, is so valuable in reaching others. and my wife and I always pray for wisdom in teaching these young impressionable kids, but also their parents and grandparents.Wisdom granted to us so lovingly from God, is reallythe only kind worth obtaining. Bless all of you brothers & sisters out there….Gary S….Tianjin, China.
amille0123 on June 14, 2015 at 5:16 am
Obeying GOD’S WORD develops wisdom.
gary1schelvan on June 14, 2015 at 10:07 am
Yes amille, you are absolutely correct, obeying God’s Word does aid so tremendously in developing wisdom. Also as the question asks above, “Fear of the Lord” I believe is the key to developing Wisdom from God. I used to think that fear was the same as what we experience in our daily lives as men/woman here on this earth. But have come to realize, it is really a healthy, reverential fear/knowledge of what will transpire if we don’t obey God’s Word to the best of our fallen human capabilities. My favorite old pastor, Dr Charles Stanley, says, “Obey God, and leave all of the consequences to Him.” Bless all of you sisters and brothers out there…stay strong and in God’s Word!