“Only a fool hates wisdom….” I’m trusting none of us want to be found to be a fool.
I want you to consider the wisest person you know… maybe you are thinking of some famous person, or maybe it was your grandpa, or grandmother, maybe it was your father or mother. Maybe the people you are thinking of are wise for different things… wise in life, wise in relationships, wise in business, wise in fishing…Many of us can think of really intelligent people that make very foolish decisions- so we know that it isn’t intelligence that is necessary to be wise. One proverb says a “fool is wise in their own eyes.” Wisdom lives with good judgment. Wisdom shows us where to discover knowledge and discernment- (from God’s Word!) And I don’t know about you, but I can use all the knowledge and discernment I can get. Only with God’s help can I truly discover and live out good, wisdom.
Focus your Spiritual eyes on Proverbs 8:12-16, “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. 13 All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. 14 Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. 15 Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. 16 Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.”
Solomon likes to give wisdom a human element. Wisdom lives with good judgement. One without the other isn’t truly wisdom. As we develop wisdom in our faith and in our life we will be able to discern God’s will and direction in our lives.
Paul writes that we are to ‘work out our own salvation..” That doesn’t mean we can save ourselves; it means that we need to do our part to live out the faith that we claim to have. When we have faith in God- we can rest in the fact that He is in control. He does know what is happening and no matter the outward circumstances or the human element involved we can trust Him. We need to work it out in our own lives- it is a gift, free and waiting, but we need to unwrap it and use it- otherwise we don’t really own it. When we claim something it isn’t ours until we pick it up and take it with us. Just saying the words- just going through the motions of receiving Christ- means nothing if we are not living it out. As we live it out- we discover that our spiritual discernment becomes stronger as we grow in wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word. Do you want to become wise? You have got to do the work.
When we walk in God’s wisdom we will fear the Lord- (remember that’s the beginning of wisdom) The wise hate evil. It doesn’t read hate evil people; it says hates evil. We hate those things that Jesus hates. There are lists throughout scripture of the sins that God hates. Bottom line God hates sin. If you need a list here in one from Proverbs, “There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.” Proverbs 6:16-19
As a new believer I had a very ‘gray’ line about what was right and wrong, so I began to pray that I would only hate those things that God hates. Every sin separates us from God. As Followers of Christ- how dare we continue to knowingly live in sin… it’s just as if you are spitting in the face of Christ at the cross. It’s just as if you were the one nailing Jesus hands again and again to the wooden beams. Do you love Jesus or don’t you? Jesus said, “If you love me you will obey my commands…” John 14:15. It doesn’t get much clearer than that.
If you want wisdom that brings true success in your life- hate those things that God hates- and love those things that God loves- mainly people! If we don’t love the people that God has created in His own image- how can we love God? “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.” 1 John 4:20-21.
When we strive for wisdom, it will treat us well. Wisdom blesses all those that strive to attain it. Often those that strive to live out their lives filled with God’s wisdom discover that they receive riches in this life- as well as store up riches in the next. I don’t think you can go wrong striving for Godly wisdom. Solomon prayed for wisdom and God gave him everything any king would desire. People like LeTourneau, George Washington Carver, Madame Curie; they all trusted God, worked to obtain Godly wisdom and God blessed their endeavors.
Not every wise person becomes famous or is remembered in history books, but there are people that will look up to them. And even better there are no regrets to have to apologize for. When our lives are focused on the wisdom of God- we don’t mimic the world’s way of doing things, we live out our faith and love God and love people. We seek His wisdom to guide and direct us so that we don’t lean on our own understanding, but only on God’s. Just like the worker in Timothy, that proves himself to be true to God’s word- we too will be remembered for our integrity, our justice, our love and our mercy.
Wisdom’s true success is found in the legacy we leave behind. Will you be a great and thoughtful thinker like Ghandhi? Or a merciful and compassionate leader like Mother Theresa? Maybe your faith and love will be something that your grandchildren will one day want to be like in their lives.. What legacy do you want to leave? What successes will you be remembered for?
