“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom…
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
James 3:13, 17
A little bit of wisdom might go a long way in a time like this, huh?
In a world where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between what’s true and what’s not, it’s important to equip yourself with the tools that God has given to us.
Wisdom is one of those tools, and is constantly highlighted in the Bible as one of the top priorities of the human experience.
Have you ever heard of King Solomon? Known as the wisest man to have ever lived? 1 Kings 3 records the account of the beginning of his wisdom.
(As a side note, Proverbs 9:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This is precisely where Solomon begins, and his incredible journey unfolds from here.)
God tells Solomon that he can ask anything of Him, and he’ll give it to him.
What would you ask for in this scenario? Even if we feel like we would ask for something noble or selfless, I’m confident that I would definitely not have thought to ask for what Solomon asks for.
Any guesses at what the king asks of the Lord?
Wisdom.
Obviously, right?
King Solomon asks for wisdom, and God is so please with him that He blesses him even further beyond his request:
“Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
1 Kings 3:11:14
How cool and crazy is that? In the same chapter a few verses later, Solomon puts his wisdom on display in an infamous Old Testament story – remember the one about cutting a baby in half? If not, you can check it out here. It’s a wild ride to say the least haha. The point is that wisdom that extends beyond “earthly wisdom,” as the Bible calls it, is indispensable.
Back to the original verse from James, we can see that godly wisdom has a few qualities that allow us to recognize it and to use it. After reading through these and other verses about wisdom, it’s near impossible to miss that we ought to pursue wisdom in order (at least in part) to take care of those around us. This is why God was so pleased with Solomon at the time – this gift was asked for and given with the intention of benefiting others instead of pride or bragging rights.
What are we to do with all this?
A good place to start might be looking at the list of traits from James and thinking critically about each one. This will also give us a good idea of what our prayers should focus on – ask God to strengthen the areas that aren’t your strong suits.
James says that “the wisdom that comes from heaven” is…
- Pure: Do you have ulterior motives for searching out information and facts?
- Peace-loving: Do you exercise your growing wisdom in order to bring about peace as quick as possible?
- Considerate: Are you increasingly aware of the needs of those around you?
- Submissive: Do you look for opportunities to serve others, even if it’s inconvenient for you/your preferences?
- Full of mercy and good fruit: Do you work to settle conflicts with urgency, humility, and love?
- Impartial: How important is it for you to not only be right, but to also prove that you’re right?
- Sincere: Does your wisdom go beyond general courtesy and politeness?
I believe James lists these traits as a few examples that demonstrate an overall spirit of love. God imparts wisdom to us because He cares for us, and we can use/apply that wisdom because we care for others.
What comes to your mind when you think of wisdom?
Do you consider yourself to be a wise person?