What does it mean to be wise? How do you achieve wisdom? Where can you gain wisdom? Do you long to be wise? Do you believe you are wise? Do you believe wisdom would make your life easier?
We may want to achieve wisdom. We may think we are wise already. We may not know how we can become wise. We may review our foolish decisions on a regular basis. Being wise is a life-long pursuit.
Wisdom is often something we achieve as we get older. Unfortunately, that is a false belief. Though, experiencing a wide variety of experiences do add to our knowledge, it doesn’t guarantee wisdom. Wisdom is far more than simple knowledge. Wisdom requires us to think. It requires us to relate known facts to specific situations and discern the proper course of action or advice.
Where can we gain wisdom? The simple answer is God. We are told “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). In this case, fear does not mean being afraid. It means to be in awe of. It is seeing God as the all-powerful, omniscient, omnipotent God of heaven and earth. When we see Him in this way, we seek Him for guidance, advice, and discernment. We follow the path He desires us to walk.
If we are wise in our own eyes, we continue to make foolish mistakes. We continue to repeat the bad decisions of history. We find ourselves missing out on the abundant life Jesus promised. Being wise in our own eyes also makes us look foolish in front of others.
Being wise brings us health. That is not to say we will never be sick. But it does bring us peace, with reduces our stress—a cause of numerous ailments. It helps us make better decisions for our lives, which will have a positive effect on our health.
I pray we all desire to be wise. I pray we are in awe of God, understanding who He is. I pray each of us will seek God’s guidance and follow the path He would have us walk. Seek to be wise. Give up thinking you are wise of your own account. Seek God’s guidance. Follow the path God wants you to follow.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Marty Pressey 