What you need more than money, intelligence, connections, influence or power is “truth.” And to act on the truth, you need “wisdom.” Like truth, wisdom comes only from God, and God gives it only to those who have humble and obedient attitudes. The Bible guides you straight to “truth and wisdom.” It provides proof and historical examples; one of the best is that of King Solomon. Early in Solomon’s reign, he was obedient to God’s laws and loved Him (1 Kings 3:3). God saw his attitude and spoke to him, saying, “Ask what I shall give thee.” How would you answer such a question from such a Being?
Here is how the young king answered: “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (verses 7-9)
Because Solomon was humble, he could see what was most valuable of all, and the one and only source from which it comes! (2 Chronicles 1:10; Proverbs 2:6; Job 32:8). He did not look for it within himself or within others. And humility enabled him to focus not on himself but on others, leading him to ask God for something that would help him lead them for their benefit, as his father had.
God responded to this attitude and made Solomon the wisest man, besides Jesus Christ, in history (1 Kings 3:12; 4:29-34). If you will obey His laws, love Him, and humble yourself, He will respond to you as well! There is knowledge—that’s a wonderful thing. But knowledge doesn’t necessarily give you wisdom. Wisdom comes from that right use of knowledge and the right reasoning process on knowledge.
True knowledge is rare, and wisdom is even rarer. Many people believe they have both—and sometimes many others agree with them—but they are actually fools! (Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 3:19). These gems are elusive not because intelligence, power or sophistication are rare but because humility toward God is rare. If you will humble yourself toward God, then His Word, the Holy Bible, will guide you to incomparably valuable truth, knowledge and wisdom! (Proverbs 1:1-4). It starts with respectfully fearing God and obeying Him: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (verse 7; see also Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10).
Wisdom is available! Instruction, understanding, good doctrine and God’s law are available from your Father (Proverbs 4:1-2). “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (verse 7). If you truly seek a deep, personal relationship with God first and pursue true knowledge and wisdom above wealth, honor, long life and other blessings, God will give you all these things as well (verses 8-13; 2 Chronicles 1:11-13).
God desires to give you wisdom so much that He personifies it as a woman crying out to you in generosity and emotion in Proverbs 8:1-5. But another voice is calling: that of folly and shame. Satan, the god of this world, promises intelligence, knowledge, sophistication, wealth and more if you instead follow his example of exalting and relying upon yourself. Which will you choose?
For Solomon to receive wisdom, God helped him and inspired him, but he still had to do his part and work to apply the knowledge he received and to remain humble and obedient. His later life showed that even with all this knowledge, wisdom and success, he came to hate life when, for a time, he let himself drift away from God. If you are serious about seeking truth and obtaining wisdom, God will help you if you do your part and continue to do your part! “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).
Use the Bible in your search. If you ask in faith for wisdom, God will give it to you just as He gave it to Solomon. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33). A limitless supply of wisdom is waiting for you to tap into—if you will diligently, humbly, obediently seek it at its one and only source.
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