Wisdom

“Young men, listen to me as you would to your father. Listen, and grow wise, for I speak the truth—don’t turn away. For I, too, was once a son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child, and the companion of my father. He told me never to forget his words. “If you follow them,” he said, “you will have a long and happy life. Learn to be wise,” he said, “and develop good judgment and common sense! I cannot overemphasize this point.” Cling to wisdom—she will protect you. Love her—she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment. If you exalt wisdom, she will exalt you. Hold her fast, and she will lead you to great honor; she will place a beautiful crown upon your head.” Proverbs 4: 1-9 TLB

We all need wisdom for our daily existence. As human beings, we have to take decisions everyday. Some can be as simple as the clothes to wear for the day or as complex as life changing decisions that can move a man forward. We all have choices to make and need the wisdom to make the right decisions.

There are several everyday sayings that are actually nuggets of wisdom that can guide a man in decision making. Some include sayings as:

“Look before you leap”.

“A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.”

“Strike while the iron is hot”.

“Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”

These are actually telling us to use wisdom in our design making.

The Bible is a book of Wisdom. It is not only full of examples of words of wisdom, it also has a great number of characters that exemplify wisdom. The Book of Proverbs in the Bible is also called the “Book of Wisdom, and is believed to have been written by King Solomon, the wisest person God created It has several examples of what happens when a person uses wisdom and what happens to the foolish.

Wisdom is often depicted as a woman who gives advice on daily living. In Proverbs 1:20-28:

“She calls out to the crowds along Main Street, and to the judges in their courts, and to everyone in all the land: Wisdom shouts in the streets for a hearing. “You simpletons!” she cries. “How long will you go on being fools? How long will you scoff at wisdom and fight the facts? Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise. I have called you so often, but still you won’t come. I have pleaded, but all in vain. For you have spurned my counsel and reproof. Some day you’ll be in trouble, and I’ll laugh! Mock me, will you?—I’ll mock you! When a storm of terror surrounds you, and when you are engulfed by anguish and distress, then I will not answer your cry for help. It will be too late though you search for me ever so anxiously.” TLB

One of the best examples of Peer pressure on young people and the effects of yielding to bad advice from bad friends is found in Proverbs 1:10-19:

“If young toughs tell you, “Come and join us”—turn your back on them! “We’ll hide and rob and kill,” they say. And the loot we’ll get! All kinds of stuff! “Good or bad, we’ll treat them all alike. Come on, throw in your lot with us; we’ll split with you in equal shares.” Don’t do it, son! Stay far from men like that, for crime is their way of life, and murder is their specialty. When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away, but not these men; they trap themselves! They lay a booby trap for their own lives. Such is the fate of all who live by violence and murder. They will die a violent death.” TLB

There’re are two types of Wisdom. There is Godly Wisdom and Worldly Wisdom.

In James 3:17-18, we see examples of Godly wisdom:

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.” TLB

On the other hand, Worldly wisdom comes from human knowledge. In James 3:14-16:

“And by all means don’t brag about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst sort of lie. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, inspired by the devil. For wherever there is jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every other kind of evil.” TLB