obtaining (real) wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.”

 || ‭‭JAMES‬ ‭1:5-6‬ ‭AMP ||

Everyone wants to be wise, right? To be able to make good decisions for your own life. To be the person that people can turn to find sound advice. I certainly desire wisdom, so according to the verse in James quoted above, I've always prayed and asked God to fill me with His Spirit and gain wisdom. I would read verses like Proverbs 4:7 which say - “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.” (NASB). But to be honest, most of the time I would just think, "Well, that's good...

But how do you actually acquire wisdom?

A while back, I read through Proverbs 11 and decided to dive deeper into two things:

- What actually IS wisdom?

- Practically speaking, how do I get wisdom?


So here we go :)

-- "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 --

I was recently reminded at my church's young adult bible study of the example Abigail set forth in 1 Samuel 25. David and his men ask a rich man named Nabal (whose name means "foolish") for some of his food for his men. Nabal pridefully refuses for really no reason, and David reacts also with pride (specifically, anger that stems from hurt pride), ordering his men to put on their swords so that they could go kill every male in Nabal's household. But a servant goes and tells Nabal's wife, Abigail. She is described as very wise, and she uses that wisdom to go to David, bringing him tons of food that he had needed. In her wisdom, she humbly falls to her face in front of him, encouraging him to behave in a God-honoring way and extend mercy. She didn't point any fingers at anyone (in fact, she tells David to place the blame on her when she had no fault in it). And her wise humility not only saves her household, but also the guilt that could've easily plagued David later if he had completed what he had set out to do. Her humility-filled wisdom made her a hero.
In my opinion (and maybe it's just an extra struggle in my life), the necessity of humility can almost envelop everything that goes into the desire for godly wisdom. Pride affects every part of life and who you are, so it’s no wonder that it’s linked with wisdom. The real ironic clincher is that pride leads to shame (disgrace), which is the main thing that every proud person tries to avoid. To put it simply, wisdom that comes from humility is the realization of who we are in light of who God is. Because once that's properly set in focus, then you realize just how little you truly know apart from Him and His Word. Then comes the ability to be teachable, and therefore gain more understanding (and therefore more wisdom) from the Lord.

*So, wisdom is: Being humble and not self-seeking, putting yourself last on the priority list. Being open for the Lord's teaching and refining of your character. It's letting the fact that you are nothing without the blood of Christ define your thoughts and actions. 

-- “It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.” Proverbs 11:12 --

Honestly, I read that verse and the first thing to pop in my mind is “Well, duh”. But taking a longer moment to pause and think about it, how easy and common is it to talk about other people behind their backs? Or complain about something you think is “so ridiculous” about another person. I love this little chunk out of a commentary I found: “The way of wisdom is also the way of love and respect. When one despises his neighbor, it isn’t evidence of superior wisdom and discernment, but a failure of true wisdom.”  Um, ouch....CONVICTING.

*So, wisdom is: Being a peacemaker. An encourager of others and not a degrader. Slow to speak and quick to listen.

-- Proverbs 11:16 & 22 are specifically directed to women --

“A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.” (v. 16)

“A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.” (v. 22)

Contrary to this what this world is telling us, a gracious woman is not weak and does not allow people to trample over her. It speaks of someone who carries herself with the dignity - dignity gained from seeing her true value in Christ. It speaks of a virtuous woman who lives out her life with godly, biblical principles and it gains others respect. Wise living starts at the home (to be honest, this is personally the hardest place to exercise godly living). But as Proverbs 14:1 says, “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”

The word “discretion” in Hebrew can be translated as “taste; discernment, i.e., good judgment as a facet of wisdom and capacity for understanding”. It speaks of a self-control in your actions. As women, we desire outward beauty so strongly. We want to be appealing to all people. We feel “lesser” when we can’t measure up to the (unrealistic) expectations of what we should look like. The woman named Abigail in 1 Samuel 25 that I mentioned previously is described not only as wise but also as very beautiful. And in her case, God just blessed her with good physical genes. I don't really know why, and that's not the important part. Because it wasn't her looks that brought peace to what could've been a horrible situation. The world may put a definition on "beauty", but I can tell you one thing - the Bible never mentions putting outer beauty first. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (ESV‬‬). And of course, the well-known Proverbs 31:30 - “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (‭NLT‬‬). Of course, I have to mention that this does NOT mean we are to just not care what we look like. Human beings are all created by God, literally the only creatures made in His image. He has blessed us with these incredible things called bodies and we should treat them as a precious gift. (Which makes me want to interject: The world wants to define what is "beautiful" and "ugly" in outer genetics. But to say that your physical body is "ugly" is straight up a lie straight from Satan. God literally formed you. And He doesn't make mistakes! Ok, rant over...). Ultimaely, your outward looks are not what should define you and will never lead to an increase in wisdom. 

*So, wisdom is: Living with self-control. It is virtue lived out by grace, striving for inward beauty over outward appeal.



The description of wisdom in James 3:17 is also jam-packed:
“But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile].” (AMP‬‬)

Along with Psalms 37:30:
“The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.” (NIV‬‬)

Both of which are pretty self-explanatory...



The funny thing I found is that what wisdom is is also how wisdom is obtained. 

So to answer question #1: What actually IS wisdom?
Wisdom is the application these things: true humility, peace making and peace loving, self-control, kindness, virtue (via grace), pure/undefiled, gentle, reasonable, compassionate, unwavering, not being self-serving, living without hypocrisy, righteous, and speaks truth and just things.

Which leads so well into question #2: Practically speaking, how do I get wisdom?
The key is not found in knowing the words to say or special knowledge to be acquired. It's not being on some special level. It’s all about the changing of character. It’s about being more like Jesus. To be full of all those things listed above. Because the more we are conformed into that image, the more we will live out our lives with wisdom. The more we desire to be close to and be like Jesus, the more the Holy Spirit fills us with His wisdom.

Maybe it’s just me, but that is incredibly convicting and kind of intimidating. This smacks me in the face of what it takes to obtain true wisdom. Because as much as I hunger for wisdom, what is my true motive? Is it just so I can look great in front of my friends and family, or is it truly so God can be glorified better in me? Honestly, all these characteristics are so contrary to what I actually live out on a day-to-day basis. However, the necessary aspect of laying down and crucifying my own desires is what will bring about the wisdom of God in my life.

and He desires to do that with all of us.

I pray that you're encouraged to seek after wisdom. His grace is bigger than anything we could ever face, and it's there for the taking. So by that grace, may we go forth to glorify Him.

i will not boast in anything. no gifts, no power, no wisdom. but i will boast in Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection

Love you all :)