Wisdom is a person
Having passed through the great tribulation called the Year 2020, you would think we would have gained a little bit of wisdom. But here’s the thing about wisdom — it morphs and moves. When you think you’ve mastered it, your situation may change. Now old wisdom no longer suits your new circumstances. If you keep relying on what used to work, you’ll fail. “Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken.”
The Book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible is all about wisdom. My friend, author John Stanko, has devoted his life to that book and its theme. He has earned advanced degrees in both theology and business. He founded purposequest. com. One of his books is titled, “Life is a Gold Mine: Can You Dig It?” Stanko is practical and one of the funniest human beings I know.
The Book of Proverbs encourages us to seek wisdom above all else. To me, wisdom in the realm of interpersonal relationships is as essential as faith is in the realm of relating to God. Nothing works without it. Nothing can substitute for it. Wisdom for living life (i.e., being married, parenting kids, saving money) is timeless, but different facets of wisdom are needed for different seasons of our life — in our vocations, as we age, and to fulfill our unfolding God-given purpose.
Jordan Peterson is a writer and philosopher, truly a brilliant thinker. He wrote “Twelve Rules for Life — An Antidote to Chaos.” He has a new book coming out next march called “Beyond Order.” In the first chapter, he makes this statement about humility: “It is better to presume ignorance and invite learning than to assume sufficient knowledge and risk the consequent blindness. It is much better to make friends with what you do not know than with what you know because there is an infinite supply of the former but a finite stock of the latter.”
Why is humility connected to wisdom? The answer is very simple. Humility is a precursor — a necessary antecedent — to obtaining wisdom. If you lack humility, you will never know that you don’t have wisdom. Pride is deceptive. A proud person assumes that he or she has all the information needed. Pride blinds us to our true state of ignorance. That’s why admitting our need of knowing more, asking assistance from friends, being questioned, gaining a higher perspective, or acknowledging that what we want to accomplish can’t be done alone or can’t be achieved in one generation; these things enable us to gain wisdom.
The good news about wisdom is that God has promised us that we can get more. All we have to do is ask for it. In other words, pray. But asking for something requires recognizing we don’t yet have it, which is a humble position to take. James wrote, “You have not because you ask not.” The arrival of new wisdom may take many forms. It may come in the person of a friend’s advice. It may come through the knowledge gained as you read the Bible — something you need to do for yourself. No one else can do it for you, not even your pastor. Finally, wisdom may appear directly from the Lord. In this case, God’s wisdom is tailored to your situation. Wisdom in the Bible is so practical, but it is also personified. Wisdom is a person — Jesus.
That’s why I said wisdom moves. It’s alive. He walks and talks. He listens to us when we pray. Jesus Christ is the shepherd who leads us on the right way.
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