What Is Wisdom and How Do We Get It?
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Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. To have wisdom means to know how to handle situations with an attitude of helpfulness and proven capability.
Wisdom as mentioned by the biblical authors, however, rightly places the Lord at the beginning and end of wisdom. “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, LSB). The fear of the Lord stated here is reverence and love for Him. He is the One who gives Christians the ability to be wise according to His standards. The words of the Bible and the Holy Spirit within us give us what we need to acquire and understand God’s wisdom for us.
Wisdom is a vast topic, and in no way can all of its wonderful nuances be covered within the space of this article. The focus will be on God’s wisdom and on wisdom’s effects on humanity (how man best uses his God-given wisdom).
Remember, true wisdom is not what the world deems it to be. For example, wisdom doesn’t automatically come with age. Nor does wisdom necessarily belong to those who are most experienced or who have excelled at knowledge (Job 32:6-9; Ecclesiastes 4:13). In fact, King Solomon, whom the Bible calls the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 4:29-34), said, “For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” Without wisdom, then, knowledge is an unpleasant undertaking.
Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.” And so, it benefits us to seek wisdom from the Lord God, both for our well-being and for God’s glory.
Here’s a definitive statement: Wisdom is God is Wisdom. God’s wisdom is one of His communicable attributes (humanity can share in this attribute, but not to the infinite quality and measure as the Lord God). The Bible says God is, “the only wise God” (Romans 16:27). God embodies His wisdom, and all knowledge of Him and His creation is contained within Him. Therefore, God doesn’t have wisdom; He is wisdom.
God’s Wisdom
Wisdom is such a strong theme in the Bible that biblical scholars categorized five of its books as wisdom literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs). They are categorized this way because of their emphasis on comprehending and acquiring wisdom for every matter of life, especially with God and interpersonally with other people.
By wisdom God created the heavens and the earth (Proverbs 3:19).
God’s wisdom is eternal because God is eternal (Daniel 7:9 implies God’s eternal wisdom).
God is the source of all wisdom because He is Himself wisdom (Romans 16:27).
God’s wisdom is displayed in His redemptive purpose. All Scripture and history points to Christ Jesus; the Lord God ordered all creation, peoples, and events to lead to Christ as Savior. The church is the magnificent and ultimate display of God’s wisdom regarding redemption (Matthew 16:16-18).
The Bible personifies wisdom as calling out to people (Proverbs 1:20-33). This is God calling people to Himself, and He will draw people He’s called to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:44).
By wisdom God will teach us about Himself. Jesus follows the hope-filled truth of John 6:44 with this, “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45).
Wisdom is not simply intellectual; it is a moral quality He uses for the best means to the best ends (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Wisdom and Humanity
As we consider how wisdom affects our relationship with God and others, we can parallel this view with the ten commandments. The first three have to do with our relationship with the Lord God, and the remaining seven focus on our interrelationships with other people. All ten ultimately have to do with glorifying God, and the wisdom He gives helps us with both relationships.
Since God is the source of wisdom, He gives us what we need to do the work He’s called us to do. In the building of the tabernacle, for example, God gave men wisdom in the skills they needed to attend to all the exacting details of the tabernacle (Exodus 28:3).
When we ask in faith, God — in His grace — gives us wisdom (James 1:5-6). But that’s not all; God gives us our requested wisdom generously and without reproach, meaning He knows we need wisdom to live a life pleasing to Him. Later in chapter one of his letter, James says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). What that means is God is faithful, and He never changes. Therefore, we can count on His gift of wisdom when we ask in faith — knowing He will grace us with it.
Wisdom’s Effect on Self
We have so many questions about life’s issues every day. To know we can go to the Creator of everything for answers brings rest to our souls. We face each day with the assurance the Lord God will give us everything we need (including wisdom) to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).
Our first stop each day should be in a posture of prayer as we thank the Lord Jesus for what He has done, is doing, and will do. Thanking Him for His Word as we spend time reading and studying it brings us wisdom for our day, for this is how God speaks to us.
His Word will give us all the answers and wisdom for how we are to handle the tasks for our day and how we should interact with others, both believing brothers and sisters, and the world.
How Our God-Given Wisdom Affects Others
We communicate with other people throughout our days. Because a triune, relational God created us (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), we have been created for relationships (Genesis 1:26). Our first relationship is first with our Lord, then with His church, and then as gospel ambassadors to the lost and dying world (2 Corinthians 5:20).
As we counsel with and gain counsel from other spiritually mature Christians, our source remains the same — the Bible. The Holy Spirit gives us understanding of the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:12-14), and we trust that when we haven’t yet gained wisdom from a particular area of Scripture, another Christian probably has. That’s part of the beauty of iron sharpening iron, as the Bible calls it (Proverbs 27:17). None of us is to be a lone wanderer, and with Christ as our core (John 15:4-7) and other wise Christians beside us, we are never without His wisdom (John 10:28-29).
Without godly wisdom, we may act in selfish manners. The Bible tells us, “Do not be wise in your own mind. Never paying back evil for evil to anyone, respecting what is good in the sight of all men, if possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men” (Romans 12:16b-18). This isn’t possible without wisdom. As we interrelate with all kinds of people, contentions will arise, both within and outside the church. As you pray for your day, ask the Lord for wisdom to be able to handle every situation He allows you to encounter (James 3:17). Our thoughts, speech, and actions are best left to the guidance and wisdom of the Lord (Colossians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 13:11).
Ask for Wisdom and God Will Give It
Times of tribulation, temptation, and persecution cause us to cry out for God’s help. That’s okay because it’s exactly what He desires from us. He reassures us in His Word that we can go to Him at any time for anything. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your considerate spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:6-9).
In his letters to Timothy and Titus, Paul exhorts those young men of the faith to, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching” and “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2, 5). Wisdom is a straight path (Proverbs 4:11) and wisdom is one who heeds instruction (Proverbs 8-10). Believers cannot follow those instructions without wisdom. How kind of our Father to instruct us in wisdom and knowledge.
So much more can be said about wisdom. My prayer is that you will ask the Lord to guide you in all wisdom (Ephesians 1:7-9). As you pray, read His Word, and go about your days, ask the Lord in faith for wisdom. Rejoice that He will answer that prayer with a “yes” every time.
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