The Search for Wisdom

Gaining wisdom is not a passive thing.  On the contrary, the attainment and accruement of wisdom is a very active endeavor.  Those who wish to be filled with wisdom need to seek and search after it with fervor.  In many ways wisdom needs to be longed after and earned, while in another sense, wisdom is a divine gift from the Lord.

Proverbs is an entire book on wisdom.  In chapter 2, Solomon exhorts believers to seek after wisdom as silver and gold for it is more precious than either (Pro. 2:4; 16:16).  God is the source of all wisdom so in the search for wisdom, we are searching for the Lord.  The wisdom that is longed for is true wisdom that is indicative of the source of wisdom.  Therefore, when we have found wisdom in its purest form, we have found the Lord.

Moreover, we are to treasure wisdom and long for it because there is immense worth and value in the attainment of wisdom.  In fact, wisdom is "sweet to your soul," and "if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Pro. 24:14)."  This is inline with the idea that the search for wisdom is the search for God.  Because wisdom is found only in the Lord, when we are given wisdom from the Lord, He is increasing in relationship with us.

As James wrote: "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 (Jam. 3:17).  Dissecting this verse reveals the intensely godly character of wisdom, evidence that wisdom is from the Lord.  If we cannot trace wisdom back to God, its source, it is not wisdom.

The Lord desires to bless and bestow His perfect wisdom upon His children.  Wisdom could simply be defined as the ability to live right and make right decisions over time.  Many times, God uses the soil of our lives as the breeding ground for His wisdom.  When we think back on our lives with an eye to the Lord, He teaches us what wisdom is and how it applies to our future decisions.  So let us harvest the ripe fields of our past experiences and pray to the Lord that He would illuminate our lives with wisdom to live!