“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you
—Proverbs 4:6.
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With all the options and information overload we now experience in this digital era, developing the quality of wisdom is very much needed. You need it to be able to distinguish between what is right for you and what is not; because going through life without wisdom can lead to shame, loss, and regret.
Since we live in an ever-changing world, it can be difficult to decide what is the best choice for your life and the lives that you are responsible for— making it crucial to have wisdom.
Having wisdom can save a person's life (Ecclesiastes 7:12). It serves as a shield in difficult times, guiding you to speak wisely and timely. As the saying goes, “knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” Wisdom also prevents you from doing things that will affect you negatively in life.
Gaining wisdom isn't something that happens simply with age. Some older people continue to make poor choices. Similarly, wisdom isn't solely acquired through numerous life experiences, as some individuals, despite their experiences, fail to learn from them.
Henry Ford said, “failure is simply the opportunity to being again, this time more intelligently.” As true as this statement is, many people go through life experiences and never learn from them.
Wisdom is the ability to discern and use insight to make the right choice. It helps you deal with any situation that you may experience in the best way possible and allows you to know what to do in those impossible situations. And it gives you the insight to manage those complex situations.
Wisdom helped Jesus in difficult situations
In the Bible, a woman was accused of adultery was made to face a group of men well-versed in the Mosaic law to answer for her actions. Adultery was considered a punishable offense by stoning under the law, but the men had ulterior motives and were trying to test Jesus' response to the situation.
Agreeing to have this woman punished would have gone against Jesus' teachings on mercy, grace, and forgiveness. And telling the group of men to not punish the women would have caused Jesus to break the law. But Jesus was wise and gave a response that dumbfounded the group of men.
The men brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus, reminding Him of Moses' law that such women should be stoned. They asked for His opinion, but Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground.
When they persisted, Jesus stood up and challenged them, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." The men left one by one until only Jesus and the woman remained (John 8:2-11).
His reaction to the entrapment enabled Jesus to abide by His teachings on mercy, grace, and forgiveness without violating any laws. Without wisdom, Jesus would have been ‘caught between a rock a hard place,’ forced to pick a side that would have been equally unpleasant.
Another instance is found in Matthew 22:15-22, where the Pharisees devised a plan to ensnare Jesus in His words. They approached Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God truthfully. You are not influenced by others, as you do not regard their status. So, tell us your opinion: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
However, Jesus, aware of their malicious intent, responded, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for the tax.” They presented Him with a denarius, and He inquired, “Whose likeness is this? And whose inscription?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then He told them, “Therefore, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” Hearing this, they were astonished and left Him, going away.
By receiving wisdom from God, you will find a solution to every challenge that comes your way (Psalm 34:19). Luke 21:15 NLT says, "for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!"
Wisdom is more than having knowledge
Wisdom includes not just possessing knowledge, but also effectively utilizing that knowledge. Moreover, it is something that is given from someone who already has this quality. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."
To get wisdom starts by reverencing God and reading His written word, the Bible (Psalm 111:10). You must reverence and honor God first before you can get His superior wisdom.
What does it imply about individuals who assert to possess wisdom that is not from God? “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness” —1 Corinthians 3:19 NLT.
Any wisdom not obtained from God is considered foolishness, lacking good sense, judgment, or intelligence. Merely sounding wise does not make it so; true wisdom comes from God.
To grow in wisdom, one must engage with the Bible and follow its teachings. Once you read it you get revelatory knowledge. This knowledge manifests itself through your personal life, business, family, relationships, and affairs. You'll notice you are making better decisions because you are getting God's direction and understanding.
As you continue to read, you obtain more knowledge which manifests itself in your day-to-day routine. You start to become wiser in your daily decisions, whatever they may be, and know how to judge fairly in the areas that are needed. Then as you continue to read the Scriptures, you grow even more.
This is why the Bible is compared to food, it sustains us and gives us the ability to continue and persevere. It is also a guide to help you mature so you can deal with life’s uncertainties.
There are many life lessons in the Bible that can help you grow in wisdom. Reading the Bible gives insight into everyday affairs. It is what is needed for you to maintain in life. You'll learn from the personal stories of those who have lived life before you. And their experiences will equip you for life.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope —Romans 15:4
Since the Scriptures are relevant, you will always have answers for any area in your life for your family, finances, relationships, personal growth, and for other concerns you may have.
You will develop the wisdom needed on how to leave a legacy for your future generation. God's wisdom equips you with the necessary wisdom to establish a legacy for future generations and extend that legacy to your community.
By acting in accordance with God's wisdom, you are seeing things through His perspective. This is the reason why God encourages us to seek His wisdom (James 1:5). God will guide you on how to handle your matters and grant you insight into all aspects of your life.
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord —Proverbs 21:30
When you are using your own intellect, you run into the problem of pride. Most people who are highly intelligent struggle with pride because "knowledge puffs us up..." (1 Corinthians 8:1). In other words, it can make you arrogant.
When you are prideful you make mistakes. But with God you will always know the best course to take in life (1 Chronicles 12:32).
When you are operating with the wisdom from God it comes with humility. Being humble and wise allows God to be able to easily help you and protect you from disgrace, shame, or making bad choices.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. — Proverbs 11:2
While reading the Bible, we encounter a story of a wise King who acted unwisely by disregarding God's counsel and following his own judgment (1 King 11). King Solomon was warned twice by the Lord to stop his actions, but he chose to disobey, leading to the division of his Kingdom and the loss of half of his possessions.
Disregarding the guidance of God had consequences for both his generation and the whole nation, resulting in the loss of a kingdom and the subsequent decline of the nation. Moreover, Solomon strayed from his relationship with God.
Our unwise choices do not only hurt us
Not only do our foolish decisions harm us, but they also impact those in our surroundings.
Even towards the end of Solomon's reign, it is remarkable to see what he achieved in four years, a feat that typically required other rulers their entire tenure, thanks to the wisdom he sought from God when he first assumed leadership (1King 3:5-12).. Consider the positive impact on our nations' affairs if our leaders, those in positions of power, sought discernment, guidance, and counsel from God in the execution of justice.
You may be living a lifestyle different from what you had hoped for because of some bad choices that were made in the past and have now impaired your future progress. However, the crippling effect can be reversed as you start to acquire and grow in wisdom.
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” — Proverbs 12:15
Seeking wisdom from God begins by engaging with the Scriptures. As you read the Scriptures you are being fed and the more you are fed the more you grow, and the more you grow the better choices you will make in your life.
The key to getting wisdom and living a life of success is to, “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding” — Proverbs 3:5.
God is our wise counsel and the One who can help us get our life's back on track. With God you'll know what to do, get answers to challenging questions, and make the best decisions for your life (Matthew 22:23-46).
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When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, His spirit will become one with yours. This is one of the greatest blessings of salvation. You don't have to go through someone else to get to God, as you and Him are now one.
All you must do is receive salvation, simply choosing to repent of your sins and welcome Jesus into your life by confessing Him as Lord. In Romans 10:9 Paul said, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Here's a Prayer that you can pray to get saved:
Jesus, I confess that you are Lord, and I believe in my heart that you died and were risen for my sins. I ask for forgiveness of my sins, and I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior—in Jesus' name, Amen.
After this step, pray for guidance to find a ministry where you can grow spiritually, gain knowledge about the kingdom, and begin living the abundant life promised by Jesus.
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