Prayer Journal
Sunday, November 5, 2000
"God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,
and a breath of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.
Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all kings of
the world, who had heard of his wisdom."
1 Kings 4:29,34
The world views wisdom as a product of education and knowledge. God, on the other hand, bestows wisdom to those who ask. But the wisdom God gives is different from that which the world seeks.
King Solomon humbled himself before God and expressed his desperate need for God's help to lead God's people. As a result, God gave him the wisdom he sought and a keen sense of spiritual discernment.
To me, the interesting thing about wisdom is that a person can't profit from God's wisdom without having a relationship with God. The wisdom that comes from God is useful only for the man of God. Worldly wisdom, on the other hand, is comprised of knowledge which stems from education and experience. I submit that a Christian can have either or both, but an unbeliever can only receive the wisdom the world gives.
The proof of this claim lies in understanding the purpose of obtaining wisdom in the first place. To the unbeliever, wisdom may prevent them from making a mistake that would adversely affect their health, finances, fame or reputation. To the believer, wisdom gives them understanding of life from God's perspective, so that they can act in a way that pleases God. In truth, worldly wisdom is an oxymoron - not wisdom at all, but rather a cheap substitute for God's provision:
"Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice. 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 3:15-17
So, the next time you pray for wisdom, perhaps you should be more specific. Just Thinkin'.. WebServant
(1) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(2) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
