Wisdom

March 29

Numbers 32

Psalm 38:1-8

Proverbs 9:10-12

Luke 3:1-20

Wisdom

“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  For by me your days will become many, and years of life will be added to you.”  Proverbs 9:10-11 LSB

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” is a phrase found in numerous verses in the Bible.  (Proverbs 1:7, 15:33, 14:27, Psalm 111:10, and Job 28:28)  The fear of the Lord is the foundation or prerequisite to true wisdom.  A deep reverence and respect for God’s power and authority will lead to a proper perspective of reality.  Knowledge and understanding of who God is will naturally result in a humble assessment of ourselves.  Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of His presence and a deep commitment to obeying Him. When we recognize that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, we can begin to grasp His sovereignty.  Knowing that God spoke it all into being helps us understand that He is in control.  He made the rules by which everything operates.  The knowledge that God is in control and we are not gives us the right perspective to pursue wisdom.  We can choose to ignore God and deny His existence, but that does not change the reality that He is Lord.  Our belief or disbelief in Him has no effect on His control of everything.  (Psalms 14:1, 53:1, Romans 1:18-23)

There is a stark contrast between those who are wise and those who are foolish.  A wise person respects God, listens to Him and obeys what He says.  A fool does not respect God, will not listen to His instructions and refuses to obey Him.  He cannot be told what to do because he thinks he knows best. (Proverbs 12:15, Isaiah 5:21) We may gain knowledge of earthly things and learn to make practical choices that lead to some success, but without the wisdom that comes from heaven, it is ultimately worthless.  There are a lot of really intellectual people that cannot function well in their lives because they do not have wisdom. Likewise, there are a lot of people who do not have much education and would not be considered very “smart” who are wise and live very successful lives.  Having a proper fear of the Lord puts us in right relationship with God.  When we are in a relationship with Him, we involve Him in every aspect of our lives, seeking His wisdom when we make decisions, asking for His help in our daily choices and obeying His leading in everything we do. This is a life characterized by wisdom.  Verse 11 goes on to say that when we live a life of wisdom, years will be added to our lives.  This is a principle and not a promise.  God is not promising that everyone who lives wisely will have a long life, but that wisdom leads to good choices that will generally result in a longer life.  Living wisely helps us to avoid many of the foolish choices that can lead to illness, accidents, etc.  (Driving recklessly, drinking excessively, poor eating habits, smoking, promiscuity, etc.)  Wisdom has practical benefits.