Close your eyes and picture the smartest person you know — someone who embodies wisdom and common sense, a giver of great advice. What does it take to be the smartest person in the room? The highest IQ? The most creative mind? The most popular personality?
Most of us realize that all forms of wisdom are not the same. Intelligence may come to some through “book learning,” while others are considered wise due to “street smarts” — learning through life’s challenging experiences.
A wise man once said, “The more I know, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” Indeed, wise is the man or woman who acknowledges their intellectual limitations and strengths.
Few with true wisdom would approach a neurosurgeon and presume to advise them about a surgical procedure. We would never seek out a scientific engineer and tell them how to design a space module. Yet, in our spiritual lives, many of us presume to enter the throne room of the almighty Creator and tell Him what should and should not bring to pass in our lives. We often fail to realize how little we truly know.
The Bible is filled with reminders that mankind, without Christ, faces a lifetime of insurmountable problems. Jeremiah 17:9-10 and Mark 7:21-23 state that man’s wicked, unregenerate heart is the source of all his problems. But God does not leave His children without a remedy for their painful dilemma.
Proverbs 9:10 — “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
James 1:5-8 encourages all believers to seek God’s guidance by asking in faith for the wisdom they need.
King Solomon, one of the wisest men ever to rule, clarified that true understanding comes from acknowledging and following the guidance found in God’s eternal law (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1, 12-14).
These turbulent days demand discernment beyond that of even the wisest human being. It’s time to actively seek God’s guidance, believing with unwavering faith that He can and will provide the enlightenment needed to live faithfully for His Kingdom.
mpaxson99@yahoo.com
