‘“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in the synagogues (Matthew 10:16, 17).”’
I have already touched on the topic of *wisdom, and I compared it with folly, but there’s so much more to wisdom, particularly the importance of gaining wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30 ). He is the fountain of all true wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; 13:14), and we are to seek Him for the provision of His wisdom. By gaining it we have life – life in Him (Ecclesiastes 7:12). This is eternal life (1 John 5:11) in and from the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). What could be more precious than for our soul (Matthew 16:26) to be taken up into heaven to be with Jesus?
Necessity of God’s Wisdom
Proverbs is one of the biblical books of wisdom; the others being: Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (Song of Songs), and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs personifies Wisdom (1:1-2:22) and majors on the necessity of it: ‘Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her [Wisdom], and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding (Proverbs 4:5- 7).’
James wrote, ‘If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5).’
Man’s wisdom is worthless (1 Corinthians 2:4, 5, 13); God’s wisdom is priceless (Job 28:15-19; Proverbs 8:11). ‘And my speech and my preaching were not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4, 5).’
These are the wise words of Paul, as he addresses the Corinthian church. He continued: ‘But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:7, 8).’ ‘These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches. comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (vv 13, 14).’
Wisdom for Outreach
So as we go out into the world with the gospel of Christ on our lips, let us go with the wisdom of God. Let us go humbly; for James exhorts us:
‘Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13).’
Our message must be wisdom from God, i.e., redemption in His Son: ‘But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31).”’
‘We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:23-25).’
Let’s pray for those we meet while on our disciple-making mission (Matthew 28:19, 20) that they will cherish wisdom and instruction for gaining a fear and knowledge of our Lord; for: ’The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7),’ and that they will be filled with wisdom from above: ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (James 3:17).’
“O Lord, Make us wise in Your wisdom; and may many glory in You (Romans 15:17) through the working of Your wisdom. Amen.”
*Wisdom and Folly
The Biblical Way 