Goal:
To understand the essence of spiritual wisdom. What
it is, what to do to gain it and how to know
when you have got
it.
Scripture Basis:
Proverbs 1-9, Eph 5:15, Col 1:9 &
4:5 Col 3:16, 2 Tim 3:15-17,
Eccl 3:11 & 7:13-14 & 8:17 & 11:5, Eccl
2:24-26 & James 3:17
References:
Packers "Knowing God", chapter 10
Inclusion Activity:
Can you define wisdom? The dictionary definitions
look like this.
How about spiritual wisdom? The kind the Bible talks
about. Is this the same thing or is their a difference. Take a
minute and think about it. .......
Well, if you are like me, this stands as a difficult
question. Perhaps if we spend some time looking at scripture relating
to wisdom we can find the answer. First lets go to James. James
1:5 tells us God is willing to give us wisdom if we ask for it.
| If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.. James 1:5 (NIV) |
But is asking the only step we must take to get it.
In school before we can take a class we must have the necessary
prerequisites. Are there any prerequisites to spiritual wisdom?
Yes there are.
First one must learn to revere God. We are told that
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"
in Psalm 111:10 as well as in many other passages such as Prov
9:10 / Job 28:28 Prov 1:7 / Prov 15:3 Do you fear God? Why? Why
Not?
Secondly one must learn to receive God's Word. Two
references stand out. Colossions 3:16 says "Let the Word
of Christ dwell richly in all wisdom".
2 Tim 3:15-16 says..
| " and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness". |
How much time do you spend "receiving"
God's Word. Yes that means reading it!
Well once we have identified and taken up the prerequisites
how do we recognize wisdom from God when it shows up? The following
stories serve to help us recognize spiritual wisdom.
The Back Door: Two concepts of wisdom ..
1. The Air Traffic Controller
How many of you watch air traffic as it moves in
and out of the valley airports while waiting for a flight? (students
answer) From your vantage point on the ground or terminal you
get only a general (rough) idea of what the overall plan for departures
and arrivals are. If however you are privileged enough to be taken
up into the main control tower, (have any of you done this?) well
now you will then be able to see the radar screens, hear the controllers
discuss their strategies and the communications with the pilots.
Now you begin to see the whole air traffic situation from the
viewpoint of those who control it. Now you see why one plane
should wait while another goes, why one turns left and another
circles.
Key Message: It is common for Christians today to feel if they were really walking close to God, they would be able to discern the real purpose of everything that's happened to them. It would be clear every moment just how God was "making all things work together for good". And when they can't understand why, they become frustrated.
The entire book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon,
described as the wisest man, vanquishes this concept that the
gift of wisdom is "wide knowledge of purpose" or "seeing
from the viewpoint of the controller". Read Eccl 3:11, 7:13-14,
8:17, 11:5. Well if being able to discern the purpose of all
aspects of our life is not spiritual wisdom what is? Lets try
another example.
2. The Wise Driver
Have you ever heard of someone being called a wise
driver. When you learned to drive what was important? What was
it that mattered? Most would say what matters most is driving
in a safe or appropriate way. When you drive do you ever frustrate
yourself trying to understand why a road narrows or turns a particular
way? Or do you even think about why a Van is parked where it is,
or why the person in front of you drives the way he does.? Usually
not much .. Those who drive wisely simply see and do the best
thing in each situation that presents itself. What matters most
is the speed and appropriateness of your reactions to things and
the soundness of your judgment.
Now the effect of God's gift of Wisdom is to enable
us to do just this in each aspect of our lives. The following
verses shows us what the gift of spiritual wisdom truly enables;
Summary:
The effect of God's gift of wisdom is not
to make us all knowing but rather to make us more humble, more
joyful, more godly, more quick sighted to His will and more resolute
in doing it. It also makes us less troubled by, not less sensitive
to, but less bewildered by the painful things of which our life
in this fallen world is full.