Learning WisdomWisdom desires a relationship with you. Solomon assigns wisdom the feminine possessive pronouns of “she” and “her.” Wisdom should be considered a close friend to the Christian. She calls out to the educated and the uneducated. Wisdom is an equal opportunity provider:

    “Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words: ‘How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.’” (Proverbs 1:20-22)

Wisdom even calls out to the scorner and the fool, all the while they avoid her. They do so at their own peril. Wisdom is not some elusive Ph.D you earn while at seminary. It is achieved through reading and obeying God’s Word:

    “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” (Psalm 111:10)

Did you see that? Wisdom does not arrive after some long, arduous journey through life and Bible study. It begins when you begin to fear the Lord; to obey His Word. There’s the sticking point for most of us, right? Obeying God’s Word; to actually do what we know the Bible teaches:

    “Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:166)

Can you honestly say that when you’ve walked closely with the Lord through a consistent study of and obedience to God’s Word, that wisdom had escaped you? Or did you come to understand life in a new and refreshing way? Were you able to look at current events through a Biblical lens and not be intimidated by the unknown because you know the One who sits on His throne? When we are doers of God’s Word, then wisdom is always present.

    “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

Too many Christians want an academic Christianity instead of an actual Christianity. What’s the difference? The former is the Christian who reads Christian self-help books, listens to audio tapes, does DVD series, goes to three different Bible studies a week, always learning and never doing. The latter is the Christian who reads “Do not” and doesn’t do it. It comes down to obedience. Our Lord made that point very easy to understand the night before He was crucified:

    “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)

Wisdom is not just receiving spiritual knowledge, but it is also understanding that knowledge and applying it to your every day life. All the way to Israel’s beginning as a nation, their leader Moses commanded them to obey God’s Word; to live out the commandments Moses delivered unto them from God:

    “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)

The clearest sign in my life where I know that God was real and His Word was truth is how things in life became easier to understand. That is the purpose of God giving us the Bible; it is basic instructions before leaving earth.

    “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” (Psalm 119:104)

Commenting on Psalm 111:10, our old friend Matthew Henry sums it up nicely for us:

    “No man is wise who does not fear the Lord; no man acts wisely except as influenced by that fear. This fear will lead to repentance, to faith in Christ, to watchfulness and obedience. Such persons are of a good understanding, however poor, unlearned, or despised.”

Dear friend, are you struggling with trying to understand life? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not right now, acknowledge that you are a sinner, confess and repent of your sins, and trust Christ to save you from Hell.

That is the first step in becoming a person of good understanding…

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

If you’re receiving these devotionals for the first time and would like to receive them on a regular basis, please email me at jeffers221@bellsouth.net and use “Please add to Devotional List” as the subject. You can purchase Dave’s three devotional books by visiting his Amazon author page.

    Copyright © 2014 David Jeffers

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,