Wisdom

Three girlfriends and I are studying a book by Debi Pearl called Created to be his Help Meet. During my reading this week, I was encouraged to do a word study on wisdom.

After studying different verses, I can see a clear delineation between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. God tells us that His wisdom is better than anything in this world, but warns us of worldly wisdom. The latter leads to pride and self-righteousness. Godly wisdom is found only is Scripture and is scorned by the world. Worldly wisdom is lauded by man but is a foolishness to God.

I had always heard this verse regarding wisdom:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask it of God." James 1:5

God promises to give us what spiritually profits us, if only we ask. But it is not enough just to ask for wisdom. How can we ask for something if we do not understand it? What is wisdom and why do I want it?

"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom." Job 28:28.

The Lord I serve is fully love and fully grace. However, He is also fully judgment and fully wrath. He judges the intentions of the heart of man. He is great and terrible- his power is unparalleled! This is not a popular dimension of the Holy Lord. The fear of God- why we should fear God- is not talked about much. Certainly God loves us- more than any human heart could fathom. He willingly and sacrificially sent His Son to die for my sins, and your sins. As a Father, He saw His Son die for His enemies. That kind of love is beyond my comprehension. But He also righteously sends to hell those why refuse Him. It is wisdom to understand that and meditate on it and keep it at the forefront of one's mind. A right view of God and a right view of self is wisdom. Upon that, a Christian can frame the thoughts and actions of one's life.

I should not seek to gather wisdom from books and peer-reviewed journals and even the internet if my motives are to have others think more highly of me. Shame! Worldly wisdom is fine to gather, of course. There are so many things to learn, and God has given us curiosity and a brain that stores information. He has given us men and women who are wise and wiser. We are wise to learn from them. But our motive should not be, even privately, glory for self. We should seek glory for God. To fear Him and to love Him and to glory in Him, that is wisdom.