Raise your hand if you could use more wisdom in your life! I know I could. Life is difficult. Every day brings different challenges and concerns that require guidance and skill to complete successfully. Every new year brings an opportunity to recalibrate our hearts and minds to the truth of God’s word so we will are able to handle the trials that are bound to come.
The type of wisdom I am writing about is biblical wisdom. In the original Hebrew of the Old Testament the term often used for wisdom was “hakam.” It refers to skill in living. This type of wisdom is not just understanding knowledge and facts. It is learning to put truth into practice. The Greek word that is often used in the Bible for wisdom is “sofia” and it refers to “the capacity to understand and function accordingly.” (BDAG) The measure of a wise person is not in how much information they know. It is found in how well they can put the truth of God’s word into practice.
There are many passages that talk about this kind of wisdom, but I want to focus on one verse that I will be preaching on this Sunday. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
I like to think of this verse as rungs on a ladder. The first step to seeking wisdom is to humble yourself. If you are going to seek Godly wisdom, you have to first admit that you are lacking in wisdom. This is an important step because it makes sure that each person is seeking wisdom with the right attitude. If you read James 1:5 and think, “I’m not lacking in wisdom” then you don’t understand this kind of wisdom. This kind of wisdom can never be fully attained in this lifetime because every situation is different. Every trial presents another opportunity to put God’s word into action. Every year will bring difficulties that will take time and truth to discern. We have to stay humble before the Lord in order to seek wisdom with the right attitude.
The second rung of God’s wisdom is the command “Ask God.” It is important to notice that James does not say “seek wise counsel.” He goes right to the source and says, “Ask God.” This is a clear command for all Christians to ask God for wisdom.
This is similar to Proverbs 2:2 where Solomon encourages the reader to “Make your ear pay attention to wisdom, Incline your heart to discernment… Then you will understand the fear of Yahweh and find the knowledge of God.” (Legacy Standard Bible)
The Christian life is not one of seeking a life that is passive and pain-free. No, the Christian life is one of passion and the pursuit of God. It is spent asking God for wisdom. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (Mt. 6:33)
The third rung emphasizes the character of God. Verse five says, “Ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” The reason the believer should be motivated to ask God for wisdom is because God is a generous God. He pours out his wisdom upon those who seek after him.
James may have had Matthew 7:7 in mind where Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
The Father is generous and he gives without reproach. The Greek word used here means that God gives wisdom without looking for fault. He doesn’t look for reasons to withhold wisdom from people. He is not capricious or vindictive. He is just and He is generous.
This leads into the fourth rung, which is also the last rung of the wisdom ladder. James 1:5 says, “and it will be given to him.” Aren’t you glad this is a short ladder? There is no red-tape or bureaucracy to pursuing the wisdom of God. God doesn’t tell wisdom seekers to “Go on a pilgrimage first.” Christianity can not be confined as a traditional religion that requires certain rituals be performed in order to reach a higher level of devotion. No, Christianity is a relationship with the God who created the universe. It is a life-long pursuit of knowing God and living the way he created us to be.
Psalm 34 sets the tone for seeking Godly wisdom. The Psalmist writes, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
May this coming year be one of seeking the wisdom of God. May our lives be guided by His word and may they be full of the richness and pleasure and joy that comes from living the way God intended.
