Wisdom for Life (YouVersion Daily Refresh)

Wisdom is a key aspect of maturity. We often think of growing into maturity as we get older and gain more knowledge, but growing mature in wisdom transcends age. Wisdom grows when we learn to apply our knowledge to everyday choices and situations.

James, the brother of Jesus and writer of the book of James, talks about the process of growing in spiritual maturity in James 1:1-5. He tells us that anybody who seeks wisdom should simply ask God for it, and God will give it generously to anyone who asks.

Growing in spiritual wisdom happens when we use our knowledge of God, the world, and ourselves, to make right decisions about how we should act, live, and talk as Christians. It’s as we get to know God better that we grow in His wisdom and are equipped with the knowledge we need to live abundant lives that honor Him. In this way, wisdom comes from our relationship with God.

Nobody needs to lack wisdom because God offers it freely through a relationship with Him. As we seek Him and His wisdom, He gives us opportunities to practice it and grow in our trust in Him. And as we trust Him with our choices, we begin to see wisdom flourish in our lives.

So what will you do to cultivate wisdom in your life? The first step is to ask God for help. When you humbly come to God and admit your need for Him, He will generously give you all the wisdom you need.

My Thoughts

Growing up, I cultivated a lot of knowledge. This was mostly due to a demanding mother who insisted that I had a higher than average IQ (she had each of us tested) so she demanded absolute perfection from me. A “B” on a test brought severe consequences, so I quickly learned to apply myself to receive all “A’s” at the expense of friendships and acceptance by my peers. They came to me for help with school work but not real relationships. Coupled with my health problems with asthma, I was mostly a lonely child. Attending college didn’t help a lot since I was still mostly a loner, but I applied myself to do well there, too. Getting a “C” in my first math class there almost destroyed me, but I persevered and accepted that I was not as smart in all subjects as my mom insisted I was. When I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa my senior year, I was understandably proud but also bewildered about how I got there, since it was supposed to be an organization for well-rounded students and all I did well was study. Or at least that is what I thought of myself. Looking back, I realize that in my quest to do well in college, I had taken on jobs, leadership positions (a junior counselor to freshmen and the president of the Spanish House among others) but I didn’t consider them activities but responsibilities to help others. Anyway, I graduated from college and went on to become a teacher.

It was in my first year away from home in a small apartment in Smithfield, Virginia, that I encountered someone who told me all about Jesus. I became a Christian and started seeking more than knowledge. I wanted wisdom from God and found it in His Word and in talking with other like-minded believers.

I discovered that wisdom is God’s gift to help us know when to speak, when to be silent, what to say in various situations and to always be aware that we are representing God. That is a very simplistic definition but it is one that I have tried to cultivate. Wisdom has helped me to deal with a non-believing family member who scoffs at my beliefs, particularly since I have had multiple health issues. How can a God who loves me watch me have a debilitating stroke or struggle to breathe with my asthmatic condition? My reply comes from the wisdom of knowing and walking with God. He didn’t cause my problems but He does walk with me through them. Wisdom urges me to be silent when I see others struggling with the responsibility of a special needs child. My book knowledge says that there is a better way, but my wisdom says to pray and be silent and let God show them the way. You see, wisdom is not always the loudest voice. In fact, it is rarely accompanied by trumpets sounding and the announcement that I alone have all the answers. Rather, it is a still small voice speaking in my ear and telling me what to say, when to say it or just to be quiet because God is handling things and doesn’t need my help.