WISDOM AND REALITY

Recently, I was struck by a quote from Gerhard von Rad defining wisdom as “competence with regard to the realities of life.”  As I heard it, my thoughts went to 1 Tim 6:19, Paul’s instruction to those who are rich in this life, “to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.”  Two things stood out—one is, “life”.
There is this life and then then life in the age to come.  Second, what we do in this life only has value to the extent that it creates a reserve in the life to come.  

When we look at wisdom as competence in navigating the realities of life, the first reality is that there is life that is truly life but also life that isn’t.  The second reality is that to gain the value, the reserve for life in the age to come—it must be the focus of our life now.  The psalmist understood the need for the perspective of wisdom to understand and discern these realities in Ps 39:4-6, “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days.  Let me know how short-lived I am… Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.  Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.  Indeed they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.”

Later, in Ps 90:12, the psalmist again seeks God’s perspective, asking, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”  Developing wisdom is the competency needed to have the right mindset.  Without it, we are in the same plight as Israel in Dt 32:29, as Moses lamented “a nation lacking sense with no understanding at all. If only they were wise, they would figure it out; they would understand their fate.”

Wisdom is one of those words that we don’t devote the thought to it that it deserves. Why? It stems from our familiarity with the word, which in turn causes us to think we know and understand what it means.  For instance, “conventional wisdom” is the generally accepted belief, opinion, judgment, or prediction about a particular matter.  Or we may refer to someone’s wise words or statements as “pearls of wisdom”. Conversely, we’ve all heard of the person who “in their infinite wisdom” did something—using wisdom in an ironic way to say that someone has made a foolish choice or decision.

Even with a Biblical perspective, we generally define wisdom as a blend of understanding gained from knowledge and experience, giving us a practical skill in order to live skillfully, based on reverence for God and His word, understanding God's ways, discerning between good and evil, and making wise choices that lead to a life pleasing to God.  In both these contexts, we find several common elements—beginning with a pool of knowledge gained either by words or experience, so that we can develop discernment to make wise choices.

But there is also a glaring weakness in each context—that we have the ability to develop wisdom on our own by acquiring factual knowledge, gaining life experience and through each of these developing the discernment to make wise decisions—at least according to “conventional wisdom”!  What seems to be missing is the transformative aspect of wisdom in our lives, what Rom 12:2 describes as a mindset, “don’t be conformed to this age” or as the Phillips translation states, “don’t allow the world to squeeze you into its mold.”  Rather, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God.”

Jas 3:13-18, asks the question, “Who is wise and has understanding among you?”  The answer is the one who demonstrates a transformed life, by their character, through their “works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness.”  The issue is that there are two kinds of wisdom—one that corresponds to this life and does not come from above but is earthly in its origin and perspective, prized by the world around us.  The other wisdom comes from above, defining its presence in godly character and the fruit of righteousness, prized by those whose perspective is governed by the age to come.  As such, they are at complete odds with each other and have nothing in common. As it states in Jas 4:4, “friendship with the world is hostility toward God.  Anyone desiring to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.”

This brings up the aspect of wisdom that goes beyond our standard understanding and that is—it is based in relationship.  Ultimately, it comes down to which friendship we desire.  Is it the world’s or is it God’s.  The reality of life is that there is consequence to this decision. We can’t straddle the divide—any friendship with the world is hostility toward God, a repudiation of His desire for us.  This is where wisdom proves its value if we will embrace it, providing discernment to our motives and desires and the actions that proceed from them, so that we have His wisdom as our perspective.  How do we get this?

In the Old Testament, Proverbs presents wisdom as having supreme value above any riches in this world.  We’re to seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure.  Pr 4:5, 7, admonishes us to “Get wisdom, get understanding… Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding.”  It’s not something that we can develop on our own—“for the Lord gives wisdom (Pr 2:6)  It is a gift of God.  In Jas 1:5, we are told that If any of us lacks wisdom, we should “ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith without doubting.”  “For the Lord gives wisdom…”

Why is it so valuable?  Because the way of wisdom leads to life—the life that is truly life. Proverbs repeatedly tells us to consider the outcomes of a life lived according to the way of wisdom compared to the way of the world’s wisdom in this life.  One leads to eternal life but the other to destruction.  Jesus gives the same illustration in the Sermon on the Mount, comparing the narrow gate leading to life with the wide path that leads to destruction.

So where do we go from here?  Where does this lead us?  To the ultimate relationship of knowing God, gaining His life and living in His presence, eternally!  Below are two passages to consider as you seek and find Him in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.  Happy seeking as you find the joy of being in Him!

Eph 1:6-9, “We have redemption in Him… the forgiveness of our trespasses… riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding… He made known to us the mystery of His will…”  1:17-19, “I pray that God… would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so that you may know… “

Col 1:9-14, “… we haven’t stopped praying for you… that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God… He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.  We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins in Him… 2:2-3, I (Paul) want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.  All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.”