We live in an age of information. Our digital world enables us to have a flood of information at our fingertips. We have so much information that bombards our senses that we have to distinguish between “true information” and “false information” or “misinformation”. So, how do we do that?
First, let us define “wisdom.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines wisdom as the “capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct.” So, how do we “judge rightly” what is true and what is not? The Bible clearly tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His instructions have good insight” (Psalm 111:10 HCSB). I put the word “beginning” in italics for emphasis because having a fear of the Lord is just the starting off place to acquire godly wisdom.
To be able to judge rightly, one needs to have a sense of the power and presence of God. Charles H. Spurgeon defined wisdom as “the right use of knowledge.”
The second part of verse 10 tells us that to have “good insight” we must follow God’s instructions. Even Wikipedia defines wisdom as “the ability to contemplate and act productively using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight.” So, if we want good insight on how to live and act productively, we need to follow God’s instructions.
Two passages of Scripture that my seminary colleague, Jeff Pinkston used in his sermon on September 10 come to my mind:
First, Micah 6:8: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” To walk humbly before God is another aspect of godly wisdom. It is acknowledging that He is greater than you or me and that we need His instructions to live righteously and wisely. As Solomon declares, “with humility comes wisdom” (Prov. 11:2b).
Secondly, I Corinthians 1:18f: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. As Paul goes on to explain when he writes, “we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (vv. 23,24).
James reminds us that if we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask God, “who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). And God has given us a whole book of wise sayings (see the prologue to the Book of Proverbs, 1:1-7).
Indeed, we live in an age of information, but not all information is trustworthy or even useful. We need God’s wisdom to discern truth from falsehood, right from wrong, virtue from vice. As the prologue to our Statement of Faith says, “We are all on a journey to know God’s truth.”
So, my prayer for us all (to quote the Apostle Paul) is that God would continue to give us “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. That the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened so we may know the hope we have in Jesus Christ and what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the work of His vast strength (Ephesians 1:17-19). AMEN.
By Rev. Rich Pollock, Worship Committee Chair