The Nature of True Wisdom

Today we’re talking about the nature of true wisdom.

Wisdom is something we all need, and when we look at what it really means from God’s perspective, we can learn more about wisdom than what we thought it was. Wisdom is more than just intelligence, experience, and/or cleverness.

James 3 reveals something to us, and that is that wisdom is actually a posture of the heart.

The wisest people are not the loudest, the smartest, or the most experienced. All those help, but it is those who reflect the heart of Christ that are truly wise.

Let’s learn and grow in wisdom today.

I think anytime that we don’t let our intrusive thoughts take over, we are being wise. We could do so many things, but we don’t do them because we know that that’s not the way to handle things.

I know there are times that we thought we were being wise, but really, we weren’t… we made whatever decision we wanted regardless of the outcome we knew would probably happen… we just wanted to be rebellious a little. It is, of course, in those moments where we learn from experience. Hindsight often reveals the difference between reacting and responding with wisdom.

James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others.”

God’s wisdom isn’t forceful, prideful, or reactive.

God’s wisdom is grounded in truth; it’s pure.

God’s wisdom brings peace and understanding.

God is gentle and not defensive, and therefore His wisdom is respectful.

Godly wisdom shapes how we speak, think, respond, and make decisions.

Have you ever googled your symptoms… yeah, me either…

This is funny because we always hear not to do this, but we all do it. It’s not wise because though we may get close on finding what could possibly be wrong, there is a chance that the Google results will be something horrible, so now you have to figure out if you should really go to the doctor or wait to see Jesus.

So often I have looked up symptoms just to be like… I’m nowhere close, so I’ll just ride it out.

Of course, those moments are ones where we learn discernment and wisdom, right?

I love it when things work out and we are blessed, or we see someone else blessed because of a wise decision. So many have the wisdom to be thoughtful, calm, and give good advice at just the right time. The blessings from that timing are just amazing.

Wisdom is something God grows in us.

With every choice we make, every thought we follow, and advice we take, God is working in and through us.

God is shaping you into someone wise, gentle, and steady, my friend.

Follow His lead.

When we think on earthly wisdom, we see that it can become self-focused, competitive, and self-promoting. But when we learn what godly wisdom is, we can find ourselves being humble, yielding to things, gracious, and peace-oriented because we want what God wants.

God’s wisdom in this world is so refreshing because it brings things together with peace, understanding, and the knowledge that God is the one guiding all things.

In James 3:18 it says, “Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Wise choices produce peaceful outcomes. Over time, we will see our wisdom grow with every decision.

Often what we will see is that growth in wisdom creates healthier choices, stronger relationships, and calmer hearts.

Some may think that wisdom is always having an answer, but really it is more about discernment and reflecting Christ through what we say and do.

Think about a place in your life where you could use a little wisdom and seek the Lord. Let Him be the one to guide you and give you the words or help you with that decision.

Let’s take a moment to pray.

God, help us today to learn Your wisdom. God, we make a lot of decisions, we have a lot of conversations, and we are trying to sustain relationships on top of everything we do.

God, guide each one of us and help us to see answers from You because we know that You are the one who can give us the true wisdom we seek. Help us with every choice, every word, and every relationship. Help us, Lord, to grow in humility and discernment. Thank You for all You do and provide. Amen.

I remember this one time I was stubborn and dumb, and instead of sticking to what I said I would do, I just decided not to do it because I didn’t want to anymore.

Honestly, this was out of character for me. I’m not that person at all, but at this particular time in life, I made that choice.

This, of course, was unwise, and there was stress, conversations, and some embarrassment that came along with that choice.

It was one of those moments where I wished I could have seen the consequences first… but that wasn’t the case.

Needless to say, a lesson was learned.

In lessons like this comes wisdom because we can learn to think all elements through before just reacting. We can choose better responses.

Luckily, wisdom grows through mess-ups and learning to surrender and apologize.

Asking God for guidance is an important step. But once we ask, we also need to trust His direction.

James 3 teaches that true wisdom looks like Christ: gentle, pure, peace-loving, humble, and merciful.

Wisdom should be God-centered.

Where do you need God’s wisdom in your life today?

Lean on the Lord for that wisdom and let Him fill you with His peace and understanding.