Ouch! That Burner Sure Is Hot.

Picture for a minute that person who is very intelligent, but often doesn’t have the common sense to come in out of a thunderstorm. They are often the person who knows that the mathematical constant Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. They are also the person at the party who can solve Rubik’s Cube in less than thirty seconds. Do you know anyone like this?

Now think of someone who you consider to be wise. They always seem to know just what to say and do in most any situations. You have probably thought to yourself, “I wish I had their wisdom.”

The difference between the first person and the second is really nothing more than the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is simply the accumulation of facts and data while wisdom is the ability to apply that knowledge in a way that useful and helpful. It is not enough just to “know” that the burner on the stove is hot, you also better be able to apply that knowledge, so you don’t put your hand on it.

Now let’s turn to gaining God’s wisdom. It is not enough to know the contents of the Bible. Reading and memorizing your Bible is a good thing, but we need to know how to understand and apply God’s Word (the Bible) into daily life. This is called having spiritual discernment, and it means nothing more than seeing things from God’s point of view.

The Bible tells us that God gave us the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to give us wisdom. I believe that the Holy Spirit’s primary role is to lead us to the Son (who then points us to the Father), illuminating our hearts with truth. In John 14:26 we read, “But the Helper [paraclete], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

(The Greek word paraclete – refers to a person summoned to one’s side, especially for providing aid. The prefix para has the meaning “at or to one’s side;” think of paramedic.)

And again, it is not enough that God gave us His Spirit to gain wisdom. We need to be willing to be taught, having a teachable spirit, and thus allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us. In Proverbs 8:34-36 we are told to be alert to what He desires to teach us – “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself all who hate me love death.”

And John 16:13 tells us, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

We are told in Hebrews 4:12 that God’s word is alive, speaking to you each and every time you read it.

What are the fruits of gaining God’s wisdom? Let’s turn to the Bible and see for ourselves. Click here to see what we find about the benefits of gaining the right kind of wisdom.

So, today, to gain the wisdom needed for life, ask the Paraclete (counselor) to help you see and understand from God’s point of view – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).