Wisdom

Wisdom. What is it? Where does it come from? How do you get it? Does anyone really want it anymore? It seems to me that people today want a lot of THINGS. Can’t you tell that by all the commercials on T.V. or all the ads that pop up when you’re trying to do research on the internet? There are a lot of people out there selling a lot of things and it seems there must also be a lot of people looking for things to consume. But -- is anyone looking for wisdom? Are you? As I was reading about wisdom in my Bible, I was led to reflect on the place of wisdom in our world today. Hmmmm…...did someone misplace it? or render it obsolete? or change the definition (as someone seems to be doing with quite a few of our words these days). What has happened to wisdom?

I hope you are someone who cares about wisdom, and would like to have it. I hope you would be glad to know where to find it and how to obtain it, because I have your answer. Grab your Bible and turn to the Book of Job, chapter 28, verses 12 through 28. Actually, the answer is in verse 28, but you really need to read the whole passage to discover the value of wisdom and also where not to look for it. I am printing the Job 28:12-18 passage for you below, but one more thought before you read it (and please do read it). If you value wisdom and would like to pass your values on to posterity, God’s Word - and the reading, studying, and memorizing of it - is the key to wisdom and understanding.

“But where shall wisdom be found?
    
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its worth,
    
and it is not found in the land of the living.
The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
    
and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
It cannot be bought for gold,
    
and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
   
in precious onyx or sapphire.
Gold and glass cannot equal it,
    
nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
   
the price of wisdom is above pearls.
The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
    
nor can it be valued in pure gold.
“From where, then, does wisdom come?
    
And where is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living
    
and concealed from the birds of the air.
Abaddon and Death say,
    
‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

 “God understands the way to it,
   
and he knows its place. 
For he looks to the ends of the earth
    
and sees everything under the heavens.
When he gave to the wind its weight
    
and apportioned the waters by measure, 
when he made a decree for the rain
   
and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
then he saw it and declared it;
    
he established it, and searched it out.
And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
    
and to turn away from evil is understanding’”
(The above passage is quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001, Crossway Bibles. I would encourage you to read it your favorite version also.)

In the love of Him who alone is wise (Jude 1:25),
Suzie

 

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