Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (NLT)

A simple definition of wisdom is: The practical application of knowledge. For instance, knowledge says a tomato is a fruit, wisdom says it does not belong in a fruit salad.

Wisdom has been studied for ages, and I do not pretend to know all the answers as to what wisdom is. But having said that, here are some thoughts about wisdom that might help in understanding.

• Wisdom can come with life experiences.
• Wisdom can be acquired over time.
• Wisdom comes more easily to those willing to learn.
• Wisdom is judging rightly about things in life and conduct.
• Wisdom knows when to speak and when not to speak.

As a great man once said, “You have to know when to hold’em, when to fold’em, when to walk away, and when to run.”

Many times, we know what the problem is, but not how to solve it. We may know what needs to be done, but we don’t know which process or policy to follow to achieve the best results.

Some people confuse knowledge with wisdom. They are not the same. You can have knowledge without wisdom. There are a lot of smart people with no wisdom. Also, there are some people with a lot of common sense but no “education.”

It might also be good to make some distinctions. Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are close traveling companions in the book of Proverbs. One writer gave these definitions this way:

• Knowledge = facts and information
• Understanding = grasping what those facts mean
• Wisdom = knowing what to do with them in real life

In the books of Moses, God told Moses what the tabernacle was to be like. That is knowledge, but how to accomplish that?

Exodus 36:1  Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

God gave the knowledge of the tabernacle to Moses and how to accomplish the work to Bezaleel and Aholiab. God gave these men the wisdom and the know-how to build what Moses had the plans for.

Wisdom is more than how to deal with people; it’s more than how to walk wisely in the body of Christ.

Most areas of our lives require wisdom, but we may call wisdom by other names.

1. In business, wisdom is commonly called acumen or business sense.
2. In the trades, wisdom is commonly called craftsmanship or skill.
3. Dealing with people and our conduct in daily life can require wisdom.
4. Wisdom is necessary in judgments, as in those who sit in judgment.

This is not an extensive list of the areas of wisdom, but we can see that the word “wisdom” covers a lot of territory.

There were many wise people in the Old Testament. Enoch, Abraham, Noah, and Moses come to mind. But the first place wisdom comes up is in Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream and Joseph’s instructions on how to handle the coming famine.

1. The wisdom Joseph had to administer all the necessary details to carry out what God said to do might fall under what we today call business acumen. When it came to the administration of the kingdom, he was a very wise man. Wisdom that he gained from God.

Genesis 41:38,39  And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

It is interesting here that Pharaoh recognized that the wisdom he just heard came from the spirit of God in Joseph.

2. The next place we see wisdom spoken of is in the building of the tabernacle. What we might today call craftsmanship or skill.

Exodus 31:2-5  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

 

If you ever get a chance to see an animation of how the tabernacles fit together, it might blow your mind.  The precision with which all the prices fit together without any modern equipment, like lasers. The wisdom of God showed them how to do all the work with what was available in the wilderness.

It is interesting that the first two places where the spirit of God/Wisdom is mentioned in the Bible concern the administration of a kingdom and workers in the trades. This knowledge should be quite encouraging to those in government and the trades.

4. The next area where wisdom is useful is in dealing with people. Proverbs talks about speaking with fools, raising children, and our conduct in daily life.
5. The next area of wisdom is in judgment.

Deuteronomy 1:16  And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

2Chronicles 19:6  And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.

1Ki 3:28  And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

To judge righteously, the judge needs the wisdom of God. The judge needs to conduct a diligent search into the problem, but ultimately, he needs God’s wisdom to judge rightly.

Without God in the mix in our lives, we are just spinning our wheels.  What is built on the wisdom of God will last.

Psalm 127:1  .. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: …

The wisdom of God is the solid foundation on which to build our lives: our relationships with others, our work, the raising of our children, and in carrying out our function in the body of Christ.

Matthew 7:24,25  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

That rock is Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:2,3  … to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

So, where to start to acquire this great wisdom of God? The first thing to do is to be born of God’s spirit. Then begin to read His Word and ask God to teach you.

Proverbs 9:10  The fear (great respect) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Fear here means having great respect for God and for what He has said in His Word. Then you could start by incorporating what God has already revealed in His Word into your life. Then, where you know you need more wisdom, ask Him to teach you.

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Wisdom is a very broad topic, but hopefully this introduction will help you in your quest to understand its role in The Prosperous Life.