“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:43)
Wise men, those who are continually growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, that are continuously being shown wisdom from the Lord always do all they can to remember that the majority of their brothers and sisters in the faith may not be being as blessed in this area, but more importantly, they remember that in comparison to the Almighty, they are as ignorant fools.
King Solomon may have awakened the next morning knowing that something was different within him, that, to put it in today’s terminology, his mind was now a calculating machine capable of incredible insight and knowledge, but he still grew in that wisdom over time. “Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.” (Prov. 24:32) He saw the wall broken down from disrepair, he saw the weeds growing and learned much about the lazy man. “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.” (Prov. 6:10)
To grow in wisdom is not to simply pray in all earnest James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” And here special attention must be given to this verse, for it speaks to those who have been born-again, to those who are called but do not have wisdom. It is imperative to ask for wisdom if you desire to be wise, there is no other way, and it is just as imperative to continue not only praying for more of it, but to be attentive everyday as to where and when it is being imparted to you.
Nearly everything in creation offers some form of wisdom, this was proven by the King as he simply walked past a run-down house, when he looked out his casement window and saw the young man meet the adulterous woman, when he said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.” (1 Kings 3:25) But before you determine in your heart to ask to be blessed with the wisdom that only the Lord can impart to a man, you must deeply consider this truth, “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” (Eccl. 1:18)
Sorrow and grief will be your daily companions, frustration will travel with you everywhere you go, and those whom you are to love will seem at times as the simple ones.
“A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” (Prov. 14:6) It isn’t to them, and this wisdom is never to be lauded over anyone, in fact, if you do not offer it in all humility and love, you are not wise, but have become conceited in your own eyes, a grave mistake indeed.
When those who are being blessed with wisdom are speaking to others, patience is the operative action, for they many times cannot comprehend what you have in a sense learned to take for granted, here is where the frustrations will arrive, and yes, at times, you will lose your patience, for what is simple to you is beyond their current capability to understand, and if they are not seeking diligently for the Lord, if they will not continuously desire more wisdom, they will not understand what truths the Lord has imparted to you.
Here is where the danger lays, pride will begin to surface within you, and here is where the wise man begins to compare himself to the wisdom of the Almighty and falls on his face understanding that he is but dust.
You will never be wise if you do not ask to be wise, and you will not continue in that wisdom if you do not accept it as not yours and employ it in all humility.
There is great pain, sorrow and frustration in wisdom, much heartache accompanies it, you will continuously thirst and hunger for righteousness, and will know that it will not appear until you meet the Lord Jesus Christ in person, face to face. But there is something else, there is great responsibility, for you are never to keep wisdom to yourself, it is a gift to you, you are to share it with others. If they see you have been blessed with wisdom, they will either hate you, or try to lift you up.
With wisdom comes many traps, but also a joy that is inexpressible. Make very sure you understand all this before you bow your knees to the Lord and ask for wisdom. It is not your wisdom, it is God’s.
