The Bible Makes a Big Deal About Wisdom
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 NIV
You can’t say it much more strongly than that — God considers getting wisdom to be of primary importance for a successful life. But why?
Alberto’s Story: When Your Wisdom Falls Short
One of the enduring memories I have in my life is of an Italian man named Alberto.
A friend and I were spending the summer backpacking through Europe. Our normal practice when we reached a new city was to find a youth hostel or something similar to stay in overnight. But for some reason, when we reached Rome we were unable to find anyplace to stay.
I remember standing in the middle of a plaza, probably looking the way I felt, which was hot, frustrated, and forlorn.
My friend went off into the crowd, and when she finally returned she had this Italian man in tow. It was Alberto.
Even though we were complete strangers, neither of whom spoke his language, Alberto invited us to stay overnight with him in his apartment. I thought it a bit odd that this man was willing to bring people he’d never seen before and knew nothing about into his home, but it was getting late and my friend and I had nowhere else to stay, so we went.
When we got to the apartment it wasn’t long before we found out why Alberto had invited us: he was desperate for someone to talk to.
Although neither of us spoke Italian, I spoke some Spanish and my friend could speak both Spanish and French, and by mixing that all together we could figure out what Alberto was saying. He kept us up all night telling us the story of his life.
It was a life that was, as Alberto told the story, totally messed up. His wife had left him. His children seemed to despise him and would only call when they wanted something from him. And now he was alone, unloved, and so desperate for a sympathetic ear that sharing his grief with strangers he would never see again seemed like a relief to him.
The thing that struck me as I listened to Alberto’s story is that none of this was what he wanted for his life. He had done the very best he knew how to have a successful life, but ended up with a mess (see Proverbs 14:12). And the reason his life was messed up was that he simply lacked the wisdom he needed for success in life: he didn’t know what to do or how to do it to have the kind of life he so desperately wanted.
Alberto’s life was a mess because he lacked the wisdom that would have enabled him to have a successful life.
God Doesn’t Intended for Any of His Children to Be Albertos
Alberto and his story came back to my mind when I began studying the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament.
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
Proverbs 1:1–3 NIV
God devotes much of the Bible to providing followers of Christ with the kind of wisdom that can keep us from becoming Albertos in our lives. It’s filled with wisdom principles that, when we understand and actively apply them, will help us, as Jesus said, to have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).
That’s why God is so insistent that believers focus intently on gaining godly wisdom for our lives:
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
Proverbs 3:13–18 NIV
What this passage is telling us is that whatever else we might go after in this world, if we want to have successful lives, the #1 thing we need to seek for is wisdom.
- Having godly wisdom will be more valuable to you than anything else you can get in life.
- It’s more important than having a good job, a beautiful husband or wife, a big house or a new car.
- In fact, this passage says that godly wisdom is more valuable than silver or gold or even rubies.
In 2015 the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59-carat stone found in Myanmar, was sold for $30.3 million. Now there’s a 55.22-carat ruby on the market that will probably sell for even more. Yet the Bible insists that we ought to consider wisdom to be more precious than rubies.
Why is Wisdom So Valuable?
The Hebrew word most often used for wisdom in the Bible is chochmah, which has the basic meaning of skill. In the Old Testament, God gave artisans the chochmah (translated “skill” in the NIV and “wisdom” in the NJKV) to be able to construct the tabernacle (Exodus 36:1). So, when the Bible urges us to acquire wisdom, what it’s speaking of is skill for living.
Wisdom is the combination of applied knowledge, understanding, and skill required to get God’s desired results in my life.
I remember, for example, when one of the men in our church shared about his years of driving 18-wheeler tractor trailer trucks. He emphasized that there’s a lot more to it than just getting into the truck and stepping on the gas:
- You’ve got to know how to handle it when you start down a steep grade: if you get going too fast and apply your brakes too long, they can overheat and actually catch your vehicle on fire.
- Or when you have conditions of ice or sleet or snow on the road, you have to know how to maneuver that big heavy rig so that you don’t lose control if your trailer begins to slip from side to side.
It takes skill, he said, to keep your vehicle under control, and to safely reach your destination. And it takes godly wisdom, the skills for life God provides in His word, to safely reach our destinations in life.
Getting the Wisdom We Need for a Successful Life
How does a person get the kind of wisdom that leads to success in life?
The Washington Post recently ran an article in which scientists speculate that wisdom is a genetically inherited trait lodged in specific portions of the brain, and that some people are born with a greater potential to be wise.
The Bible, on the other hand, makes it clear that God’s wisdom is available for anyone who will diligently seek first Him (Matthew 6:33) and then His wisdom, and apply those wisdom principles in their life. Here are three simple biblical steps for gaining godly wisdom.
1. Fear the Lord (that is, submit fully to Him in reverent awe and obedience)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)
2. Ask for godly wisdom
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)
3. Seek wisdom in the Bible
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. (Psalms 19:7 NIV)
I learn the precepts of wisdom in the Word of God.
I become wise as I put those precepts to work in my life.
Getting godly wisdom doesn’t guarantee an easy life. Jesus said that in this life we will have tribulation (John 16:33). But God also promises that when we seek and apply His wisdom in our lives, we will be “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
© 2023 Ronald E Franklin
