I grew up in a home where knowledge was considered of importance. I can be a voracious reader, learning much about many different things. While I do think it important I seek knowledge, the reality is that it alone is not enough to get me through this life. It is something static, I can know without doing and unless it is grounded & fed by the Lord it will be fruitless. Knowledge alone puffs up my ego and my pride, growing my ‘know it all’ attitude which isolates me from others as I struggle to apply my knowledge to myself. In addition, how much information that I seek is actually of the world and worthless? The only knowledge that ultimately matters is of the Lord in His word and it is His wisdom that allows me to live out what I know in a way that keeps me on His path for my life.
The best way that I grow in my knowledge of the Lord is by reading His word and connecting to His presence in prayer. As I read the Bible, I get to know and understand Him and His character better. It is the written word of God and the more I study it, the more I can know His love and goodness for me; as well as, instruction for living my life in a way that honors Him. While the text in the Bible is old, it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and can apply directly to me and situations in my life. However, I find that I can learn a lot about God through reading His word and yet my life can look unchanged. As Proverbs tells us in multiple verses, the reverent fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. However, it is just the beginning, knowing God’s word is not the same as living out its wisdom in my life.
I think this tends to be a human condition. God did not just provide His Word for us to read and enjoy, He provided it for us to be transformed by it. While knowledge is information, wisdom is the application of that knowledge. Just because I am growing older does not necessarily mean that I am wiser. Over and over again in the Bible, especially Proverbs, we are told to ask for wisdom which comes from the Lord. It comes from Him walking me through the experiences of this life; learning and changing as I seek Him. I ask God to use all of me and my life: my failures, my experiences, my weaknesses to grow me is His wisdom. I am grateful I do not need to do this on my own, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that God provides me His wisdom to live out His will. The key is that I must ask for it and be willing to implement it in my life.
To grow in wisdom I need to know what it looks like and how to live it on a day to day basis. Thankfully, God’s word provides a lot of information and instruction about wisdom. Fools and the righteous or wise are contrasted throughout Proverbs, which provides me a tool for honest self assessment of my own actions. In Matthew, Jesus says that wisdom is proved right by her actions and that the wise man hears His words and puts them into action and James 1:22 tells us to not just be hearers of the word, but doers. I can see God’s wisdom in my growth of reflecting Jesus Christ. In addition, the ability to receive correction and instruction is something Proverbs attributes to the wise that the Lord has been working on in me. He has shown me that in the past, I have often defended and justified my behavior, rather than receiving and applying instruction. He has given me empathy and understanding for myself that this behavior I developed to protect myself from the overly critical people I experienced in my younger years. However, He has also given me the courage to know that it was a coping mechanism I no longer need and He longs to grow me through correction. The action of asking the Holy Spirit to transform me to look more like Jesus and willingly allowing God to shape me is wise, declaring I trust that His way for me is better than my way.
Practice for Today
As I begin this day, I will take to heart Jesus’ words which say to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33), by seeking Him first in both time and priority. I will choose to turn my day and my will over to God asking for His leading, guidance, direction and wisdom trusting that He will be faithful to provide. I will choose to read, reflect and meditate on God’s word to know Him better, quieting my mind to allow God to speak to me about what I read. I will invite the Holy Spirit into every part of my heart and mind to show me areas that are not of Him, so my life can better reflect the person and character of Jesus.
James 1:5 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Matthew 7:24 NIV “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Proverbs 9:9-10 NIV Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.