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Wisdom

So what exactly is wisdom, and do we really need it?  Wisdom is the ability to contemplate and act productively using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. 

Proverbs 3:19-20 says this about Creation, “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;    by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.” Well, we may not be creating something so big as the universe, but we, in our own way create everyday as we go through life. Every day we need wisdom in making our decisions, because the decisions that we make have lasting consequences. So, we too must have wisdom as Proverbs 3:13-15 tells us this. “Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, and one who obtains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver,  and her produce is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her.”

Can you imagine going to the grocery store and telling the person at the checkout that you are paying with your wisdom? I’m sure that is not what the writer of proverbs was thinking. But I am sure that what he was thinking is that people spend their whole lives trying to get ahead in life, that they do it at any cost. We spend more time in our lives at making money and not necessarily money to pay our bills, but money for all sorts of worldly things. Even though we say it is for our family, it is in fact for our own satisfaction. Money gives us a sense of power and dignity, it builds up our egos and it gives us status in this world. The Bible tells us that money is the source of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), but instead we should be content (Philippians 4:11-13). 

Proverbs 4:7 says this, “The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your possessions, acquire understanding.”

 Proverbs 24:3-4 says this, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

Are we building our house on wisdom? Are we training our children in wisdom? Yeshua tells us this in Matthew 7:24-27,  “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 the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” We should be wise builders who build our houses on the Rock and by Wisdom. So who is the Rock and Wisdom?  Yeshua who is the Rock and the Word of God!

Proverbs 3:16-18 says this about the wisdom of the Word of God,  “Long life is in her right hand;  in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;  those who hold her fast are called blessed.”

Wisdom is referred to as “she”.  In the Greek the word for wisdom is Sofia, and words like sophisticated and philosophy literally means the art of using wisdom. James 3: 13-18 tells us this, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

God’s ways bring peace. If your ways are not bringing peace then it is an unwise decision. If your decisions are for your own selfish purpose then your decision is not a wise decision. 1 Corinthians 3: 18-20 tells us this, “Take care that no one deceives himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: ‘He is the one who catches the wise by their craftiness,’ and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,that they are useless.”’

Job writes in Job 28: 12-23,28  “But where can wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Mankind does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The ocean depth says, ‘It is not in me’; and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can silver be weighed as its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx, or sapphire. Gold or glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for articles of pure gold. Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; and the acquisition of wisdom is more valuable than pearls. The topaz of Cush cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. Where then does wisdom come from? And where is this place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of every living creature, and concealed from the birds of the sky. Abaddon and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ God understands its way, and He knows its place. And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Need wisdom? James 1:5 says this,  “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”