As I’ve been reading through Proverbs lately, I’ve noticed
how frequently the author advises to “pursue wisdom.” That is not an
insignificant command. There seems to be an unwritten assumption in the church
that people who have been Christians for a long time are automatically wise.
Surely those who have been to seminary or in ministry for years are wise,
aren’t they? I don’t think those are valid assumptions. Wisdom doesn’t
necessarily come with education or tenure. Someone can be a Christian for a
lifetime and still make foolish decisions or speak as a fool. Even Solomon made
foolish decisions after being commended for seeking God’s wisdom. (At least I assume
having hundreds of wives and concubines and following their gods is pretty
foolish!) The Pharisees were highly educated, but they missed the Messiah.
Wisdom is something
that needs to be pursued, but it is given by God, not by professors and books.
James says “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously
to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5 ESV). Paul said,
“My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in the
demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in
the wisdom of men but in the power of God… And we impart this in words not
taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths
to those who are spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 13).
It is tempting to rely on human sources of knowledge rather
than pursuing divine wisdom. Bookstores and websites are full of resources to
learn anything you want to learn. Christian conferences promote the latest and
greatest teachers. But apart from God’s direction it is meaningless. The
pursuit of wisdom should also be ongoing. A person doesn’t get one infusion of
wisdom and then never have to seek it again. It’s not like winning the lottery
and then never working again. It is to be a daily and diligent pursuit. We
can’t be like the ant for one year (or even once a week) and then be sluggards
the rest of the time (Proverbs 6:6).
This is kind of a convicting realization for me, because I
love to read, learn, and research topics related to church management and
leadership, and I try to find ways to implement the best policies and practices
that I uncover. And although that is a good thing, it has to be accompanied by
seeking God’s wisdom in these matters. It is fairly easy to determine what is right from a legal standpoint, but not
so easy to know what is best. For the
Christian, that should come from God first and foremost.
I can think of many examples of times that people have great
resources right in front of them and may even have policy manuals that tell
them how to handle situations, and yet they misspeak or they take actions that
are contrary to God’s Word and wisdom. Some choose to follow the wisdom of the
world in ways that cause dissension in the Body of Christ and hinder God’s
ministry through His Church.
We need God’s wisdom more than we often realize. Let’s get
accustomed to seeking Him frequently and earnestly.
“For the Lord gives
wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound
wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity”
(Proverbs 2:6-7).
