Becoming Wise/Gaining Wisdom

As I was preparing for the Christmas Eve event, I thought about the Wise Men who sought Jesus. They were wise because they sought the Baby Jesus, traveling many miles over many days and nights. 

 

Webster says the meaning of WISE is “characterized by wisdom, marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment.” 

 

Scripture gives many scriptures on WISDOM. (being Wise) Some of which are: 

 

James 1:5 “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 3:17 “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." 

 

Proverbs 3: 13 “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”

 

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

 

I desire to be wise. I desire wisdom. So how do I get it? 

 

W- ise relates to gaining wisdom from God

I – nsight comes from God

S- eek God first

E- nter into a faithful relationship with God

Proverbs on Wisdom

Solomon said in Proverbs, chapter 1 that the first step to becoming wise is to trust and reverence the Lord.  In chapter 2 he says, “For the Lord grants wisdom! His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding.” In chapter 3 he says, “Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord…” In chapter 4, he says, “Learn to be wise and develop good judgement and common sense! Cling to wisdom-she will protect you. Love her- she will guard you…The good man walks along in the every-brightening light of God’s favor…”

 

     My desire is to love God, be wise, and gain wisdom. Some ways I can do that are:  

W alk with God

I dentify as God’s child

S eek God first

D o as God guides

O bey God

M ake time for God, all the time 

Wisdom

Solomon was given great wisdom, and he had much to say regarding it. Solomon was the one who said, "Vanity, Vanity, all is vanity." However, he went on to tell us about looking to the Lord for happiness. As I was considering all this, I wrote the following. 

Wisdom

 

I asked for wisdom

But God gave me more.

He promised to walk before.

He gave me understanding

That wisdom is to fear God

And, in Him, be awed. 

With wisdom, 

I did not find riches, silver, or gold

But a Holy Spirit living within my soul;

A God too great to behold.

I could not look upon His face

But I found grace.

With wisdom

I did not find an exciting career

But a God standing near,

Listening, ready to hear.

I did not find contentment with increase or what was built,

But found forgiveness in my guilt.

I did not find delight in desires,

But rather pleasure doing what God requires.

With wisdom, 

I found the world full of vanity

But was led to Christianity.

I prayed for wisdom,

But God promised more;

An eternal home when I enter Heaven’s door.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/4/2023 

 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:7

 

 

Silver and Gold

 What can I say? I am a banker at heart and, as such, believe in saving for future needs.  “Prepare” would be my motto. Finding a “Pot of Gold” at the end of the rainbow to stow away in my savings account would be very exciting and desirable. 
     However, the greatest treasure in life is more than that.  The greatest treasure would be finding the wisdom of God. That is what I call saving for the present and the future.  I cannot do that without preparation, and the only way I can prepare is to read my Bible which is loaded with a treasure trove of riches, silver, and gold.  

     In several verses of Proverbs 2 I find, “…If you accept my words…turning your ear to wisdom…applying your heart to understanding…and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure…you will find the knowledge of God.”  This is truly my “pot of gold.” So, as I reach for my Bible, I ask what it means to me: 

 

     B iblical gold for advice and principles 

     I mmense wisdom

     B anquet of indispensable tools 

     L ife-giving words

     E ncouragement and love from God

 

 

Wisdom

     King Soloman asked in Proverbs, "How does a man become wise?"  He then went on to state, "The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord."  The book of Proverbs is filled with facts and ways to gain wisdom which is "far above rubies; nothing can compare to it."  Actually, I cannot add more about wisdom than is found in the book of Proverbs, but below is an anagram I developed on gaining wisdom.

W ord of God must be studied daily
I nvolvement with God is a must  
S tick to the path of righteousness; don't sidestep from it
O bey God's Word
M an knowing what is right and doing it

Proverbs 3:18 "Wisdom is a tree of life to those who eat her fruit; happy is the man who keeps eating it."  
About Wisdom:
Proverbs 8:23 "From ages past, I am.  I existed before the earth began." 
Proverbs 8:35 "For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the Lord." 

Being Wise

     Proverbs is full of what it takes to be wise.  Some of my thoughts on being wise are as follows:

W -ant wisdom which by my scriptural interpretation is the very fear-of-God.  That is not to be afraid of God but rather to be fearful and respectful and in awe of His almighty power and omniscience.

I -ndulge in the Word daily, learning and gaining insight in order to find truth.

S -eek God first in every area of our lives

E -nter into a daily walk with God and weigh every word and action, making sure it is pleasing to our Creator. 

Tangles and Knots

     I think most everyone would like a touch of wisdom.  However, true wisdom comes from knowing God and His Word.  Jesus was constantly "expounding all things to his disciples" through His stories.  As The Message put it, "When He was alone with His disciples, he went over everything sorting out the tangles, untying the knots." 

     In life, we all need to put some effort into "sorting out the tangles and untying the knots" to get to the real truth.  It is a sorrowful life if our eyes are always open but we don't see  a thing, or if our ears are open and we don't understand a word, or if we constantly turn away from the truth because it is not what we want to hear, and it is not being said by someone we want it said by or in the way we want it said.

     We need to listen by seeing because, too often, we hear the words but don't see the follow-up in action and deed.   Our hearts and minds need to be open for truth and, I believe, this starts with love for ourselves, for others, and for our country.   Lets all pray for one another, from the least to the greatest, in every nation and in every color.    

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 

      

Wisdom

     In the troubling world we presently live in, Reba wrote and sings a song, Pray For Peace.   We do need to pray for peace, but we also need to pray for wisdom.  That is what Solomon prayed for when the Lord appeared to him in a dream.  God said, "Ask, What should I give you?"  In answer Solomon asked for wisdom and God was pleased and gave it to him.  
     Through Solomon we are introduced to wisdom and given an example of wisdom, but in James 1:5-6 we are told even more about wisdom and how to acquire it.  "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
     Why do I believe we need wisdom?  We need wisdom when we face trials of any kind.  It is the wisdom from God which best aids us in our times of need.  When we face temptations, we need wisdom.  When it comes to money, parenting, giving advice, or handling suffering, we need wisdom.  Whether facing problems at work, developing friendships, or even going through addictions and trials, we need wisdom.  There is never a time when I do not need wisdom in order to know what to do, what to say, or how to act in any given circumstance.   I was also reminded in this morning's Sunday School lesson on Solomon that I need wisdom in order to serve, bless, and love those around me. 
     Not only do I have to rely daily on the wisdom which God gives me, but I must, above all, believe in Jesus Christ and His great love for me, knowing that His hands are big enough to take care of all my needs and help me through my trials. 
     My prayer:  "Lord, give me wisdom so that I may better serve and love you and others better.  Give me wisdom to discern the truth.  Give me wisdom to overcome my trials and follow in your ways. I ask, believing without a doubt, that your wisdom is being provided to help me with all my decisions here on this earth."