There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.—Matt. 11:25b–26
God does not exclude intelligent people from His kingdom but those who rely on their own intelligence for salvation. The apostle Paul was a scholar, but he didn’t abandon that brilliance to become a Christian. However, he did stop relying on that training to understand the things of God. Intellect is a gift from God, but it becomes an impediment to authentic knowledge of Him when trust in it supersedes trust in the One who gave it.
The means God uses to hide things from certain people who relish their own intelligence is the darkness of their proud hearts. God’s truth is not knowable by mere empirical means. Instead, it must be known and received through the faithful heart, as God graciously reveals it. No amount of human insight can grasp God’s saving truths since the unregenerate “cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Cor. 2:14).
Of those who miss the divine invitation, the apostle John writes that, “though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ … ‘He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted’ ” (John 12:37–38, 40). Those who reject the gospel will one day have their unwise choice confirmed by God, the all-wise Judge.
ASK YOURSELF
Yes, God’s heart moves at the sight of simple trust, honest dependence, and awareness of need. Does your heart likewise bend toward those who are the least deserving yet the most impoverished?11 MacArthur, J. (2008). Daily readings from the life of Christ (p. 328). Moody Publishers.
“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”
James 3:16
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False wisdom ruins lives.
Renowned eighteenth–century theologian Jonathan Edwards said the following about the effect of the Fall on man:
Sin, like some powerful astringent, contracted his soul to the very small dimensions of selfishness; and God was forsaken, and fellow–creatures forsaken, and man retired within himself, and became totally governed by narrow and selfish principles and feelings. Self–love became absolute master of his soul, and the more noble and spiritual principles of his being took wings and flew away.
Edwards’s analysis certainly agrees with what James is saying: man is self–centered (cf. James 3:14, 16). Where self–centeredness exists, there will be negative results. One such result is “disorder” (v. 16). The term refers to disorder that comes out of instability and chaos. Earthly wisdom will never produce harmony or love because it’s proud and self–indulgent. It destroys intimacy, love, unity, and fellowship, and in its place brings discord and chaos. You can see the result of earthly wisdom all over our world today. Anger, bitterness, lawsuits, and divorces are just part of the legacy.
“Every evil thing” also results from earthly wisdom (v. 16). The phrase speaks of something worthless or vile. Greek scholar R.C. Trench said it contemplates evil, “not so much that either of active or passive malignity, but rather of its good–for–nothingness, the impossibility of any true gain ever coming forth from it.” The Greek word translated “thing” implies that false wisdom produces nothing of any practical value. At its best it produces worthless things; at its worst it produces vile things.
Which kind of life do you prefer? One that is characterized by love and unity, or by instability and chaos? A life with fulfillment and meaning, or with emptiness? If you want a life that satisfies and has eternal value, choose divine wisdom!
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for giving you His Word so you can know how to live wisely and avoid the negative results of man’s wisdom.
For Further Study: Following human wisdom leads only to evil. Memorize Proverbs 4:27 to help you stay on the path of true wisdom.1
Wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
When we talk about the wisdom of man, we’re usually referring to mental ability, the capability to know and to achieve. We also use the word wisdom to refer to spiritual perception and insight on living.
The wisdom of God encompasses a far different realm. As Paul expressed it, His wisdom is so far above ours, there is no rational comparison: “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25 nasb). Paul was speaking in figurative terms to say that if there were anything about God’s thinking that could be called foolishness, even that would be superior to our highest wisdom.
Jerry Bridges explains the significance of God’s wisdom to our faith in his book Trusting God:
When we stop and think about it, we know in our heart of hearts that God does not make any mistakes in our lives … God does know what He is doing. God is infinite in His wisdom. He always knows what is best for us and what is the best way to bring about that result …
We all recognize that human wisdom at its best is fallible … All of us from time to time agonize over some important decisions, trying to determine the best course of action. But God never has to agonize over a decision … His wisdom is intuitive, infinite, and infallible … (Psalm 147:5).
Father God, Your wisdom is intuitive, infinite, and infallible. I need wisdom for my spiritual journey. On the basis of Your Word, I claim it right now!1
1 Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 332). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
“This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.”
James 3:15
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True wisdom is from God; false wisdom is from the Devil.
Wisdom that is bitterly jealous and self–centered is not “from above.” Such traits constitute a wisdom that doesn’t come from God, the source of true wisdom (cf. 1:5, 17). Human wisdom, rather than being from above, is “earthly” (3:15). It is limited to the sphere of time and space and marked by the curse of man’s own fallenness, which is characterized by pride and self–centeredness. Everything the world initiates in the way of supposed truth is self–centered. Unregenerate man’s finite system demands an earthly wisdom and nothing more.
Man’s wisdom is also “natural” (v. 15), which means “fleshly” and refers to man’s humanness and frailty. First Corinthians 2:14 says, “A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God.” The natural man is sensual. All his feelings, impulses, and appetites are locked up in a fallen and corrupted system. All of man’s wisdom comes from his unsanctified heart and unredeemed spirit.
Besides being earthly and natural, human wisdom is “demonic” (James 3:15). This is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word translated “demon” appears in its adjectival form. Human wisdom is actually generated by demons, who have been made captive to the same evil system as man. Satan and his agents disguise themselves as ministers of light when in fact they are ministers of darkness (2 Cor. 11:14–15).
The wisdom of the world is spawned by demons, reflects man’s humanness, and proceeds no further than the fallenness of mankind. Since that is so, be sure to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). Don’t let Satan and the world beguile you with their so–called wisdom.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Pray to be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:9–10).
For Further Study: According to 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 and Colossians 2:8, how is the believer to fight against Satan and his demonic wisdom?1
“If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.”
James 3:14
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Humility is the hallmark of a wise person.
James says that if a person has a self–centered motive for life, he should stop arrogantly boasting. He should stop claiming to possess true wisdom. Why? Because he is lying “against the truth.” In verse 13 James indicates that if a person claims to have God’s wisdom, he must show it. If I see you are motivated by self–centeredness and pride, you ought to stop your arrogant boasting about having the wisdom of God. The fact is, you’re lying against what is obviously true. Stop claiming to have what you don’t have.
“The truth” refers to the saving gospel. Both James 1:18 (“In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth”) and James 5:19 (“If any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back …”) link the truth with the gospel. Anyone who claims to have the wisdom of God but lives a life motivated by “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” is obviously lying in the face of the gospel. No pretentious claims to a possession of divine wisdom are convincing when they come out of a heart totally motivated by human wisdom.
James is calling you to take an inventory of your heart. Take a look at yourself. What motivates you? Are you motivated by the things that honor God? Are you motivated by a love for others? Are you motivated by humility and unselfishness? There is no single characteristic of unredeemed man more obvious than his pride. And there is nothing more characteristically evident of a redeemed person than his humility.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you have a humble attitude and make you more aware of how you can serve Him and others every day.
For Further Study: The wise person seeks to be humble. To help you manifest humility in your life, meditate on the following verses: Proverbs 16:19; 22:4; Isaiah 57:15; Micah 6:8; Matthew 18:4; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:5. ✧ Memorize at least one Old Testament verse and one New Testament verse from this list.1
“If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.”
James 3:14
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A wise person lives for God and others, not for self.
Having characterized spiritual wisdom in the preceding verse, James begins to analyze worldly wisdom in verse 14. Worldly wisdom is not of God. It has no relationship to Him, is not obedient to Him, and has no knowledge of His truth.
What is the motive of someone who lives according to worldly wisdom? “Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition.” The Greek word translated “bitter” also means “harsh” and is used of bitter, undrinkable water. “Bitter jealousy” carries the idea of a harsh, bitter self–centeredness that produces a resentful attitude toward others. People with bitter jealousy live in a world that focuses on themselves. They react in a jealous manner toward anyone who threatens their territory, accomplishments, or reputation. They resent anyone who threatens to crowd their slice of this world. They consider people who differ from them as implacable enemies. And they are bitterly jealous of anyone who is successful.
The Greek term translated “selfish ambition” refers to a personal ambition that creates rivalry, antagonism, or a party spirit. That’s another way of pointing to self. The person who follows human wisdom begins with a “bitter jealousy” that creates an attitude of competition and conflict. Then “selfish ambition” generates a party spirit and bitterness toward others. James is saying that ungodly wisdom is self–centered, and its goal is personal gratification at any cost.
What about you? Are you motivated by jealousy and selfish ambition? Be honest in your evaluation. Take a serious inventory of your heart and ask yourself, Am I serving others instead of fulfilling my own desires at the expense of others?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to convict you when you put yourself before Him and others. ✧ Repent of any present situations in which you are doing that very thing.
For Further Study: Read the following verses: Genesis 37:4; 1 Samuel 18:8; Luke 15:25–30; 22:24. What was the sin in each example? ✧ Read and study 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 to learn how the qualities of love are opposite to human wisdom.1
“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
1 Corinthians 1:20
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Knowing Christ makes the believer wiser than the world.
Lawrence Toombs, in his 1955 article “O.T. Theology and the Wisdom Literature,” said, “Wisdom is to be found with God and nowhere else. And unless the quest for wisdom brings a man to his knees in awe and reverence, knowing his own helplessness to make himself wise, wisdom remains for him a closed book” (The Journal of Bible and Religion, 23:3 [July 1955], 195). It’s wonderful to have the book of God’s wisdom opened to us as believers.
Through God’s book of wisdom it’s easy for any believer to analyze the world. People who have no biblical background find it difficult to resolve controversial issues like capital punishment, abortion, or homosexuality. But the Bible has clear answers for those seemingly complex issues: If you take a life, you should die (Gen. 9:6); the life within the womb is a person made by God (Ps. 139:13); and homosexuality is not an alternate lifestyle but a damning sexual sin like adultery or fornication (1 Cor. 6:9–10; Rom. 1:26–27).
As a Bible–believing Christian you may not be considered “noble” or “mighty” by the world’s standards (1 Cor. 1:26) and may be seen as the refuse of the world (1 Cor. 4:13); but you have the answers to the important questions. Because of God’s sovereign, gracious work, you’ve been ushered into the wisdom of God through fear of the Lord. The apostle Paul said, “You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). Once you fear God, His wisdom continually flows to you. Paul told the Colossians that in Christ dwells “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:3). Since Christ dwells in you, you possess the very wisdom of God!
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Suggestions for Prayer: Praise the Lord for the privilege of knowing Him and His will through His Word and His Spirit. ✧ Pray that you might manifest the wisdom of the living God so that the world sees Christ in you.
For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 1:18–31. How does the apostle Paul contrast God’s wisdom with the world’s?1
The fear of the Lord is the most basic idea related to wisdom and is the key to understanding it. The Book of Proverbs especially teaches us that the fear of the Lord is inextricably linked to wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7). Knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and understanding are often used as synonyms in Proverbs. The link between fear of the Lord and wisdom is also evident in Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Since wisdom and understanding are parallel, so are the fear of the Lord and knowledge of the Holy One. To know God and to fear God are one and the same.
What does it mean to fear God? It’s a reverential trust, or simply another way of describing saving faith. We begin to be wise when we revere God and trust in Him. When an Old Testament saint wanted to evangelize, he might have said, “Fear God!”
When you read in the Bible of people fearing God or that fearing God is linked to wisdom, that means a person can’t even begin to be wise until he is first converted. Fearing God is the initiation of a life of faith. As long as a person has only human wisdom, he can’t know God or true wisdom.
The fear of the Lord is your entrance to wisdom. It will prolong your life, fulfill your life, enrich your life—it is your life (cf. Prov. 10:27; 14:27). It will open the continual flow of God’s wisdom to you. The significance of everything is tied to the wisdom of God, which alone will give you proper values, guidance, instruction, and perspective in life. Apply His wisdom to your life daily, and enjoy all the benefits that wisdom has to offer.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Praise God for His wisdom by which you are so abundantly blessed.
For Further Study: God’s wisdom enriches our life and gives us proper values and instruction. Read Proverbs 10:1–12, and notice how that is so.1
In ancient days men would drill a shaft deep into a mountain or the ground, suspend themselves with a rope, and hang in the shaft while they tried to find some metal or precious stone to mine. In the Old Testament Job described the process this way: “He [man] sinks a shaft far from habitation, forgotten by the foot; they hang and swing to and fro far from men” (Job 28:4). The miner searched far below the earth’s surface for “anything precious” (v. 10).
Man goes to great efforts to search for precious metals. “But,” Job says, “where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living…. Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can silver be weighed as its price” (vv.12–13, 15). Nothing in the world can buy wisdom, and it can’t be found in the things of the world.
So where does wisdom come from? Job says, “It is hidden from the eyes of all living…. Abaddon [Destruction] and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ God understands its way; and He knows its place” (vv.21–23). If you are searching for wisdom, go to God. He knows where wisdom is because “He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens…. And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding’ ” (vv. 24, 28).
What is true wisdom? To fear God and depart from evil. Wisdom isn’t a question of how much you know, but of whether you love the Lord your God and depart from sin. Only when you pursue God will you know true wisdom.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you adorn your life with the ornaments of His true wisdom and have a winsome testimony that attracts others to Christ.
For Further Study: Read the following verses, noting how both the Old and New Testaments tell us that God is the source of true wisdom: Job 9:4; Psalm 104:24; Proverbs 3:19–20; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Timothy 1:17 (nkjv).1
The Book of Ecclesiastes is greatly misunderstood. It is a difficult book to read simply because it is hard to understand. Everything in it appears wrong and as if it doesn’t fit with the rest of Scripture. But it is part of the Old Testament wisdom literature because it is a statement of human wisdom. Ecclesiastes tells us how man perceives his world, God, and the realities of life.
Most scholars believe Ecclesiastes was penned by Solomon. They debate whether he wrote it before he was a true believer or after. He may have written it in retrospect, or he may have penned it sometime before he had a full understanding of the life–changing truth of God.
Ecclesiastes is a fascinating book because it reveals the folly, uselessness, senselessness, and frustration of human wisdom—that which James calls “earthly, natural, demonic” (James 3:15). In Ecclesiastes 1:16 Solomon says to himself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me.” That verse shows me that when God initially gave Solomon wisdom, He gave it to him on a human level. He gave Solomon wisdom to make successful decisions and judgments as king. But although divine wisdom was available to him, I believe Solomon opted for human wisdom the greater portion of his life. And that wisdom was never able to answer his ultimate questions.
The sum of Solomon’s perspective on human wisdom is in Ecclesiastes 4:2–3: “I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed.” That’s a death wish and is the logical end of worldly wisdom—futility.
Fortunately, Solomon did eventually embrace true wisdom. At the end of his book, he said, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person” (12:13). What then can satisfy your heart and make life worth living? The wisdom of God alone.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you follow His ways for a blessed and fulfilled life.
For Further Study: Read Proverbs 3:13–26, noting how the benefits of true wisdom are in contrast to what Solomon experienced.1
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
James 3:13
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Wisdom teaches us how to handle adversity.
In his wonderful commentary on the book of James, Robert Johnstone wrote the following about meekness:
That “the meek” should “inherit the earth”—that they bear wrongs, and exemplify the love which “seeketh not her own”—to a world that believes in high–handedness and self–assertion, and pushing the weakest to the wall, a statement like this of the Lord from Heaven cannot but appear an utter paradox. The man of the world desires to be counted anything but “meek” or “poor in spirit,” and would deem such a description of him equivalent to a charge of unmanliness.
Ah, brethren, this is because we have taken in Satan’s conception of manliness instead of God’s. One man has been shown us by God, in whom His ideal of man was embodied; and He, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: He for those who nailed Him to the tree prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The world’s spirit of wrath, then, must be folly; whilst than a spirit of meekness like His, in the midst of controversy, oppositions, trials of whatever kind, there can be no surer evidence that “Jesus is made of God to His people wisdom” (The Epistle of James [Minneapolis: Klock & Klock, 1978], 272–273).
Johnstone recognized more than a hundred years ago what we need to know today—that the wisdom of man is arrogant, conceited, and self–serving, whereas the wisdom of God is humble, meek, and non–retaliatory.
The contrast between false wisdom and true wisdom is crystal–clear. Be sure you handle adversity in a Christlike way, knowing that every detail of your life is under God’s sovereign control.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank the Lord for His example of how to respond to adversity (cf. 1 Peter 2:21–24).
For Further Study: Read Philippians 2:1–11, applying Christ’s example to your life (vv. 1–5).1
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
James 3:13
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A wise person is a gentle person.
A believer will demonstrate that he possesses the wisdom of God not only by his behavior, but also by his attitude. True wisdom is characterized by gentleness and is the opposite of self–promotion and arrogance. Gentleness is the trait that characterized our Lord. In Matthew 11:29 He says, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” It is also a trait belonging to all the members of His kingdom. In Matthew 5:5 the Lord says, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” “Gentleness” is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23).
The word translated “gentleness” is from the Greek word praus, which can also be translated “meek” or “tender.” Praus is often used of a gentle voice, a gentle breeze, or a gentle animal. It was also used of a horse that was broken. The Greeks characterized meekness as power under control; in the believer’s case, that means being under the control of God. It’s a freedom from malice, bitterness, or any desire for revenge. The only way to truly define meekness is in the context of relationships because it refers to how we treat others. It should characterize our relationship with both man and God.
How about your attitude? Is it characterized by meekness, humility, gentleness, and mildness, or do you tend to display an arrogant, selfish attitude toward others?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Christ is the perfect example of gentleness. Thank Him for this attribute, and ask Him to help you be like Him.
For Further Study: In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 what analogy does Paul use to characterize his ministry? ✧ Also read 2 Timothy 2:24 and Titus 3:2. To whom should we be gentle?1
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
James 3:13
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Divine wisdom produces a changed life.
The one who possesses godly wisdom will show it in his life. That’s why James says, “Let him show by his good behavior his deeds” (3:13, emphasis added). The phrase “let him show” is a command to demonstrate one’s wisdom and understanding. That is the thrust of James 2:14–26, summarized in verse 26: “Faith without works is dead.” A person’s claim to have faith will be validated by his works. Similarly, James is saying that if you claim to be wise, you need to demonstrate it. From God’s perspective, wisdom is made manifest by the way a person conducts his life.
How will a person show he has true wisdom? By his “good behavior” (3:13). The Greek word translated “good” means “lovely,” “beautiful,” “attractive,” “noble,” or “excellent.” The term translated “behavior” speaks of one’s lifestyle or activity. If a person truly has divine wisdom and living faith, he will show it by his good conduct and excellent lifestyle.
James becomes specific when he says, “Let him show by his good behavior his deeds” (v. 13, emphasis added). He is focusing on the details. The wisdom of God alters not only your general conduct, but also what you do specifically. Every act within a person’s life is consistent with how he conducts his entire life. If it’s a life based on the wisdom of God, each aspect of his life will reveal that. The general pattern of his life and the specific things he does will reflect the work, the way, and the will of God. Take time to examine your life and see whether your conduct proves that you possess the true wisdom of God.
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Suggestions for Prayer: A wise person will manifest good behavior. Read Psalm 119:33–40, making the prayer of the psalmist your own.
For Further Study: Your conduct will reveal whether you’re living wisely. What do the following verses say about how you should live: Philippians 1:27; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12; and 2 Peter 3:11?1
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
James 3:13
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Wisdom is the art of living life skillfully.
Most philosophers throughout history have believed that if a person could acquire anything, it should be wisdom, because wisdom would allow him to obtain anything else. That philosophy matches Scripture. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.” Many people claim to be wise, but it’s also true that no fool in our world is a self–confessed fool—everyone believes he’s an expert. The world offers a sea of opinions, but the bottom line is that no one’s opinion is worth more than anyone else’s.
The only trustworthy perspective on wisdom—on who is wise and who isn’t—is God’s. In James 3:13 He gives His divine insight on the matter by first asking, “Who among you is wise?” The Greek term translated “wise” is sophos. The Greeks used it to refer to speculative knowledge, theory, and philosophy. But the Hebrews infused wisdom with a deeper meaning: skillfully applying knowledge to the matter of practical living.
God also asked, “Who among you is … understanding?” The Greek word translated “understanding” is used only here in the New Testament and refers to a specialist or a professional who is highly skilled in applying his knowledge to practical situations. In other words, God is asking, “Who among you has practical skill? Who among you is truly a professional and specialist in the art of living?”
The only one who can live life skillfully is the one who lives according to God’s wisdom, and He gives His wisdom to all who receive His salvation and obey His Word. What about you? Are you living life skillfully? If so, your life will manifest good behavior and a meek spirit (James 3:13). Determine to live your life according to God’s wisdom, not the world’s opinions.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you live life skillfully each day by obeying His Word.
For Further Study: As a Christian, you are responsible to appropriate God’s wisdom in your life on a daily basis. To help you do so, begin a daily reading program in Proverbs. Read one chapter a day, and let God’s wisdom penetrate every aspect of your life.1
The concept of the “American Dream” was popularized during the Great Depression in 1931. It typically includes buying a home, owning a car, getting married, raising children, having pets, taking vacations, retiring, and then dying. According to a new study, the estimated cost of all of that per household, over the course of a lifetime, comes to $4,442,050.
Here’s the problem: men average $3.3 million and women $2.4 million over their careers. No wonder we’re so stressed over finances these days: 47 percent of US adults recently said money has a negative impact on their mental health and causes them stress. According to a new survey, 73 percent of Americans rank their finances as their No. 1 stress in life, ahead of politics (59 percent), work (49 percent), and family (46 percent).
But what if we have the wrong “dream”?
“Not a dream of motor cars and high wages, merely”
James Truslow Adams, the writer and historian who first promoted the idea of the “American Dream,” defined it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”
He added:
It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of what they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
Adams’s concept is interestingly similar to what theologians call biblical anthropology. According to Scripture, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). As a result, we can say with King David, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
Our Creator is also our provider: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28–31).
Our Father not only wants what is best for us—he wants us to be at our best. In the words of Mr. Adams, he wants us to “be able to attain to the fullest stature of what [we] are innately capable.” This is why he endows us with abilities, capacities, resources, and spiritual gifts sufficient for our unique kingdom assignment. He then calls us to that mission which we can uniquely serve. In this way, Jesus uses us to continue his ministry on earth, serving as his body in our world (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Does this mean that we are guaranteed financial prosperity? Not at all. Some of Jesus’ disciples were indeed prosperous, but others were not. What each had was enough to do what they were intended to do.
Their life purpose was not prosperity in this life but significance in the life to come. Everything in this world was a means to the ends of eternity.
When we see our finances as they did, we will “abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). We will “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” we will let our “requests be known to God” (Philippians 4:6). As a result, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).
“He must not acquire many horses for himself”
The key is using the temporal for the eternal and not the other way around.
In 1 Kings 10 we read: “Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem” (v. 26). Why was this a problem?
The Lord earlier warned the nation that when they chose a king, “He must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lᴏʀᴅ has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again’” (Deuteronomy 17:16).
Solomon would soon violate verse 17 as well: “And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.” We read in 1 Kings 11: “King Solomon loved many foreign women . . . He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lᴏʀᴅ his God, as was the heart of David his father” (vv. 1, 3–4).
My point is that the Lord warned of the dangers of materialism as well as those of sexual immorality, placing the first before the second. Could it be that self-reliant materialism opens the door to other sins?
“I am God, and there is no one else like me”
Paul Powell observed: “Materialism is believing that life consists in the abundance of the things we possess. But life can come unraveled in a new suit as well as in an old one. The thrill of a new car passes as fast as the miles on the odometer. Family members can fight as violently in a mansion as they can in a mobile home.”
The antidote to the financial stress of our day is remembering who God is and who we are. It is seeing him as the King of kings and Lord of lords and ourselves as his beloved children. It is then using what he entrusts to us to fulfill not your “American Dream” but God’s “heavenly vision” for you (cf. Acts 26:19).
Why do you need to trust his omnipotent grace today?
“The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7).
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God’s Word imparts wisdom and knowledge beyond the realm of mere human understanding.
David’s characterization of God’s Word as “the testimony of the Lord” (Ps. 19:7) speaks of its role as God’s witness to who He is and what He requires of us. In addition, it’s a “sure” witness. That means it’s unwavering, immovable, unmistakable, reliable, and trustworthy.
Peter made the same point when, after recounting his incredible experience with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16–18), he said, “but we have a testimony more sure than that—the prophetic word” (v. 19, literal translation). The testimony of God’s written Word is a surer and more convincing confirmation of God’s truth than even apostolic experiences with Christ Himself!
Perhaps that’s why our Lord prevented the two disciples on the Emmaus Road from recognizing Him as He gave them a Biblical basis for the things they had seen and heard (Luke 24:27). Their faith and preaching were to be based on Scripture, not merely on their own personal experiences—no matter how profound or moving those experiences may have been.
The benefit of God’s sure Word is that it makes the simple wise (Ps. 19:7). It takes undiscerning, ignorant, and gullible people and teaches them profound truth from God that they can apply to their lives. As they do this, they become skilled in the art of godly living.
That was the psalmist’s joy when he wrote, “Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Thy precepts” (Ps. 119:98–100).
Applying that principle to New Testament believers, Paul prayed that we would be “filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9). As that occurs, we’re enabled to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [and] to please Him in all respects” (v. 10). That’s the outworking of godly wisdom and the key to holy living.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Pray that God’s wisdom will increase and abound in your life today and every day.
For Further Study: Read Luke 24:13–35, noting how Jesus ministered the Word to the disciples on the Emmaus Road.1
When you are being tested, you need to recognize your need for strength, and you must look for a greater resource to hold onto in the midst of the trial—God Himself. The search for wisdom is man’s supreme search. For those who know and love the Lord, He provides that wisdom.
This kind of wisdom is not philosophical speculation, but the absolutes of God’s will—the divine wisdom that is pure and peaceable (James 3:17). Divine wisdom results in right conduct in all of life’s matters. When some Christians go through troubles, their first response is to run to some other human resource. Although God may work through other believers, your initial response to trials should be to ask God directly for wisdom that will allow you to be joyous and submissive in finding and carrying out God’s will.
Today’s verse is a command to pray. It is as mandatory as Paul’s instruction to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Trials are intended to drive us to dependency on God by making us realize we have no sufficient human resources.1
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
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Did you know that people pass electricity through their brains (tDCS, “transcranial direct current stimulation”) in the hope of being more intelligent? They do this before IQ testing, hoping to gain an edge over others.
Intelligence is a valuable commodity. Higher intelligence opens the door to better university degrees at better universities. Better degrees open the door to more lucrative careers. More lucrative careers open the door to the Nirvana of homeownership, meals with top chefs, private schools for the kids, better medical and dental treatment, early retirement, travel, and all-important experiences.
Thus, intelligent people are the new rock stars. Jordan Peterson’s recent lecture tour in Australia was a sellout. The ubiquitous Stephen Fry—urbane, witty, mellifluous—hosts the British TV show QI and makes one feel that one could never fly at quite his own altitude.
In this environment it is difficult not to measure and value ourselves according to our intelligence.
Wisdom is far more valuable than intelligence.
God’s Word does not rate intelligence this way. A quick concordance check of the NIV Bible shows that the word intelligent appears nine times, clever appears twice, and the words smart, intellectual, bright,and brainy not at all. But the words discern and discerning appear 34 times, understanding appears 115 times, and wise and wisdom 455 times. Know and knowledge appear 1,250 times. Think, thought, consider, meditate, reason, and ponder appear 405 times. We are commanded 14 times to “Wake up!” In the KJV, the command “Behold!” appears 1,326 times. The Bible highly rates wisdom, wisely alert thought, and wisely used knowledge. Bare intelligence is irrelevance.
The reason is this: there is no necessary correlation between intelligence and morality, or intelligence and wise conduct. You can be a fool with a very high IQ. You can be an evil genius. You can be dim, and good. You can be slow on the uptake, yet wise. You can be dull, and yet very skilled at the worthwhile thing that you do.
At the end of the day, a person’s contribution to the world, their society, and their friends and family will be determined not by their intelligence per se, but by their wisdom and goodness.
Wisdom is about knowing how to act correctly in any given situation.
According to the New Bible Dictionary the Hebrew word ḥokmā, “is intensely practical, not theoretical…. wisdom is the art of being successful, of forming the correct plan to gain the desired results.” And so the craftsmen of the Tabernacle were given ḥokmā to undertake their highly skilled workmanship (Exod. 31:6). The Bible associates wisdom with skilled metalwork, woodwork, jewelry, embroidery, weaving, trading, politics, leadership, and military and nautical ability. Wisdom is not about being smart. Wisdom is about knowing how to act correctly in any given situation, to do a given task well. This is driven home by the startling observation of Proverbs 30:24–28:
Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Ants, badgers, locusts, and lizards frequently shame the sharp, clever, and intelligent. For whereas the latter so often misuse their intelligence to harm themselves and those around them, “dumb animals” act prudently, constructively, and well. (The lizard is my favorite: he lets men sweat and toil to build a great and luxurious palace, says “thanks for that” when it is done, and simply moves in.)
While intelligence may be fixed, we can increase in wisdom.
The implication is that whereas IQ, like your height and eye color, may be relatively fixed, wisdom can be sought, learned, and increased. It should grow deeper and wider with age and experience (Job 32:7, Heb. 5:12). With every journey around the sun we should learn by experience how better to look after ourselves and those around us.
That is why we will now hear, from Proverbs 8, Wisdom shouting out to us from the street corners, urging us to take hold of the gifts that she longs to lavish upon us all:
“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.” (Prov. 8:4-8)
Wisdom calls aloud, passionately and urgently, “Wisdom is here for the taking! Be determined, take hold of it, it can be yours!” Notice Wisdom doesn’t stand in the university quadrangle. Notice that Wisdom doesn’t limit her call to those with a suitably high IQ. She stands at the entrance gate, the public place, where she can catch everyone’s ear.
Derek Kidner comments:
A chapter which is to soar above time and space, opens at street-level, to make it clear, first, that the wisdom of God is as relevant to the shopping center as to heaven itself…. It is available to the veriest dunce. (Kidner, Proverbs[Intervarsity Press, 1984])
Everyone can become wise: it is a matter not of grey matter but of will. And wisdom is a good thing to get, because it is true, not false, and just, not crooked.
Wisdom brings great blessings.
Proverbs 8:12-21 goes on to tell us the good things that wisdom brings: wisdom is a magnet that attracts prudence, knowledge, and discretion. Wisdom repels evil, pride, arrogance, and perverse speech. Wisdom is not amoral. To be wise is to be good, to be good is to be wise. Wisdom makes kings rule fairly and well, so that their people enjoy happy prosperity. Wisdom brings riches and honor.
As we put Proverbs in its Bible context, we remember that riches are not always monetary, that health is not always bodily, and that honor is not always in the eyes of community. A person can be poor, sick, and despised, and yet possess “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3), a healthy and eternally alive soul, and honor and favor with God (Luke 12:5). Wisdom “is better than fine gold” for it brings the riches of heaven, the wealth that truly matters (Matt. 6:19–20).
Wisdom works well, because wisdom is built into the very fabric of Creation:
“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. (Prov. 8:22–23)
A recent National Geographic lists some fifteen qualities that the earth possesses that make it suitable for life. Ever so slightly change just one of these “Goldilocks Conditions,” and life cannot exist. As Stephen Hawking wrote in A Brief History of Time:
The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron…. The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life”, 129).
God created the world with wisdom.
Wisdom explains why. She was there before creation, older than light. God created with her. Creation works because it was wisely engineered. Creation is a ravishing symphony because it was wisely composed. Creation is lavish and beautiful because Wisdom made her so. To have wisdom is to have the very quality that made this universe the masterpiece that it is. God did nothing without wisdom. Who are we to try to do otherwise?
The one who finds wisdom finds life.
And we find the fourth and final exhortation in this proverb:
“And now, O sons, listen to me blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:32–36)
Those who take hold of Wisdom will be blessed. Blessed translates asher, “fortunate,” “happy.” In the Septuagint it is translated makarios, the word used by Jesus in the Beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit…Blessed are those who mourn…Blessed are the meek…These are the truly happy ones. These are the ones to be congratulated and envied. Before creation, wisdom was “rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.” Wisdom says: “You will find this happiness when you carefully guard your walk according to my ways. You will be blessed when you disregard the godless cacophony of the world, and keenly listen ‘at the doorposts of my gates.’”
Thus “the one who finds Wisdom finds life.” The one who fails to find wisdom harms their nephesh:their very soul. “If you hate me, you love death.”
Attaining wisdom is essential.
We think of wisdom as an optional extra. You can buy a car without velour seats, Bose speakers, a heated steering wheel, and an inbuilt Gaggia espresso machine. It will get you from W to X, but unluxuriously. You may think the same about a life without wisdom: “It won’t be a Lamborghini, but it will work.”
This is not true. Wisdom is life and death, make or break, do or die. It is not desirable that we attain wisdom, but essential.
The thing is, wisdom does not come naturally. Our heart bias away from “the Only Wise God” is a bias away from wisdom. Gold has to be mined at great cost, skill, and effort. Mastery of a skill comes only after at least 10,000 hours of practice. The well-formed adult is the product of highly skilled and diligent parenting. And wisdom for the natively godless comes only by searching long and hard for it.
It is essential nonetheless. We must get it, or die in the attempt.
When we think about Wisdom’s true identity, we can see why. Wisdom is the Logos, the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ the Son of God. He created the universe (John 1:3, Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:2). Creation in its astounding design, complexity, and beauty mirrors his wisdom.
And so we end the way Proverbs begins: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (1:7). Wisdom can be sought, learned, and increased. But the seeking begins with Jesus Christ and Him alone. Without Christ, without submitting to Him, we are forever condemned to the foolish harm of our souls, and the souls of those around us.
This article was originally published on May 24, 2018.
“Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.” Psalm 15:1-5 (NLT)
There is a dear lady at the Bible study I attend. Her clothes look old, and they often don’t match. She doesn’t wear make-up, and she keeps her hair plain.
As I have gotten to know her, I have seen her deep desire to grow in her knowledge of God, and to serve Him whole-heartedly. She comes early to help set up, and she stays late to help put things away. She never seeks attention for herself, and always gives glory to God.
In the secular world, she would be considered a nobody. But to God, she is beautiful, valuable, treasured. She is one of the faithful Christ followers we are called to honor.
The Bible gives us many lists of attributes that describe genuine Christ followers. Those in our culture, and even Christians who are distracted by the world around them, see these lists as nothing but a bunch of rules; they might describe them as backwards, old-fashioned, or only for legalists.
However, Scripture describes the life of a believer in this way because living this way brings glory to God, and joy to those who serve Him.
The Apostle Paul reminds us
“the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:25a).
What doesn’t make sense to the world around us makes perfect sense to God; and what strikes the world as incredibly wise doesn’t even compare to the foolishness of God.
Lord God, You are infinitely wise. Help me to trust Your Word, even when it is difficult and makes no sense to me. I believe that it makes sense to You, and You are trustworthy. Amen.
Thought: Read the list of attributes in Psalm 15 again. Is there something from this list that you are struggling to accept? Pray that the Lord would convict you of your sin and change your heart so that you would desire His wisdom and not the wisdom of the world.
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