The Wisdom of God

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity;
To give prudence to the naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:1-7

The Apostle Paul made a clear distinction between the learned wisdom of his time and the wisdom of God. Such a difference still exists in the so-called “intellectual age.” As we send men into space and harness the atom, we still must be sure to lock our doors at night. The wisdom of God is a superior to the wisdom of men as a star is to a sixty-watt bulb. Man’s wisdom is knowledge and utilization of data. God’s wisdom is strength, wisdom, God’s guidance, and a right course for every man in every age in every circumstance.

Perhaps the best definition of wisdom is “viewing life from God’s perspective.” That means sifting our ambitions, challenges, problems, and tasks though the filter of God’s eternal truth - the Scriptures. God’s wisdom can never be achieved through some mechanical formula. If that were the case, then any person - wicked or righteous - could enjoy its benefits. Receiving God’s wisdom involves developing a growing, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ Who is our wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30). That’s what Solomon meant when he said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7). As we seek and worship God and submit to His will, we increasingly become the repository of His wisdom.

“Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.” Ecclesiastes 7:19