Wisdom is important to God. In the NIV translation of the Bible, the word “wisdom” appears 220 times. Wisdom is one of the central themes of the Book of Proverbs. In Proverbs 9:10, we read that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. How can we demonstrate wisdom?
James 3:13-18 tells us that there are two kinds of wisdom. There is heavenly wisdom that comes from God. This kind of wisdom has its roots in the fear of the Lord. Then there is the wisdom of the world. Worldly wisdom is not from God. The fruits of each kind of wisdom are in stark contrast to each other.
A person who has the heavenly wisdom shows that wisdom in the way in which he lives his life. The person with heavenly wisdom is humble. He is pure in heart, peace-loving, considerate of others, and submissive. He is full of mercy, impartial, and sincere. When we demonstrate these attributes, we demonstrate heavenly wisdom and will reap a harvest of righteousness.
This is the kind of wisdom that we should all desire, but it is not often what we see in our world and our society today. What we do see is earthly wisdom. Earthly wisdom produces envy and selfish ambition. It is these things that lead to disorder and to all types of evil practice. When you look at our world, when you read the newspapers or watch the news, this is the picture that we see. Selfish ambition is not only evident, but it is also promoted as something to aspire to. Disorder and evil practices are rampant.
As believers, we need to strive for the heavenly wisdom that God desires for us to have. We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). When we demonstrate heavenly wisdom, we can set the example for the rest of the world. When they look at us, they should see our heavenly Father reflected in us. If they do, He will be glorified.
A Worshiper's Journal 