Wisdom: Are You Ready For a Lifetime Pursuit?

Last night I ordered a Dustbuster on Amazon, and it arrived on my front porch this morning. I’ll admit, I was impressed. In American culture, we are obsessed with obtaining things quickly. High-speed internet, fast food, instant access, and overnight shipping rule the day. If a company can’t meet our demand for speed, we take our business elsewhere. These days, if we are forced to wait, we suspect something has gone wrong and we wonder if our order was lost or delivered to the wrong place. We get cranky when we don’t get what we want when we want it.  Spiritually speaking, this attitude is disastrous because as people of faith, we need to get comfortable waiting. Why? Spiritual growth and maturity take time to cultivate. God answers prayer on His timetable and not ours. And when it comes to pursuing wisdom, it’s not a one-time delivery but a lifetime pursuit.

Not a single one of us wants to be a fool—we all want to be wise. But we’ll have to ask ourselves, “How much do I want wisdom?”  Proverbs 2 teaches that if we’re going to acquire wisdom, it must be sought over an extended period of time. Wisdom won’t arrive on our doorstep at the speed of an Amazon order. And there’s more—conditions must be met to obtain it. Wisdom is ours for the seeking, but we’ll have to do our part. Notice how in the opening verses of Proverbs 2, the word “if” appears three times in four verses.

• If you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you (v.1).
• If you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding (v.3).
• If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure (v. 4).

Solomon’s point here is that we must pursue wisdom. But that’s not all—it’s also a gift from God. The text says, “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (2:6).

In that way, wisdom may seem like a paradox because it is both a gift from God and something we must pursue. But Solomon gives us plenty of good reasons to seek wisdom. Wisdom provides the ability to know what is just and right, and if you’re wise, you’ll instinctively know which path to take (1:9)). Wisdom and knowledge are pleasant to the soul (v.10). People who obtain a degree of wisdom will acquire a taste for it and long for more. The wise possess discretion that protects them from evil people (vv. 10-15). And wisdom can prevent those who possess it from falling in traps that destroy lives (vv.10-18).

God is the source of all wisdom, and He is willing to give it to those of us who seek it (Jas. 1:5). Getting in the habit of reading the Scriptures is one of the primary ways to grow in wisdom. Even if it’s just a few minutes each day, you’ll be surprised by the results. As you read the Bible, ask God to increase your wisdom. Look for ways to apply the truths of God’s Word to everyday life. When confronted with situations, ask yourself, “What does God’s Word say about this?” And remember, Jesus Christ is the source of all wisdom (Col. 2:3). As we cultivate our relationship in Christ, and abide in Him, we’ll abide in wisdom.

I’ll leave you with a couple of thoughts to consider.

Thoughts to Ponder:

• How do you respond when you are forced to wait for something? Is your attitude about waiting impacting your prayer life or your relationship with God? If so, how?
• Are you actively pursuing wisdom? In what areas are you wiser than you were this time last year?