THE LIGHT OF WISDOM

As I embark upon this study, there were in my heart practically some idols which made me at first to give up because I never found what my heart was expecting. The bible gave so little of that which I thought wisdom to be. Firstly, I thought wisdom was chiefly in learning, knowledge, understanding, skills, tactics, inventions, which actually in part it is. To make it more clear, the major confusion I had was in the type of knowledge, understanding, and learning wisdom offers.

Without hesitating, I will like to open to us the anatomy of wisdom as found in the scriptures and the great benefit of possessing this wisdom. Knowing what wisdom is, is crucial to receiving it. It is important so that we may not possess the counterfeit and mistake it for the true.

The relatives of wisdom: wisdom is greatly mistaken by many because they judge it on a ‘standalone’ basis. There are several other qualities in the family of wisdom which describes wisdom or represents it where ever they be manifest. These are

Ø  Instruction

Ø  Understanding

Ø  Knowledge

Ø  Discretion

Ø  Prudence

Ø  Subtlety

The word instruction appears in the book of proverbs 25 times. And also appears as reproofs, law, commandments, counsel, doctrine, judgement, justice, and equity. Understanding appears 54 times, knowledge 42 times, discretion 6 times, prudence once, and subtlety once. The use of ‘subtlety’ here, is the ability to perceive, to notice, be aware. It should be noted that there are also 54 matches for the word wisdom in the book Proverbs. From this pool, we can infer the major emphasis of wisdom. Wisdom and understanding have the same match of 54. No wonder wisdom said “I am understanding” Prov. 8:14.

The great discovery everyone who sincerely set his heart to seek wisdom will find is the ‘fear of the Lord’. Job. 28:12-28; Prov. 1:7; 2:3-6; 9:10. This is the pathway and beginning of wisdom. This is what the sincere curiosity for wisdom will lead us to. This is the path many who profess to be wise have missed, whom wisdom is neither in their bosom. The beginning and sustenance of wisdom is the fear of the Lord and a deliberate departure from iniquity. It will surprise you to know that the demand, and requirement of wisdom is righteousness. And that wisdom dwells in the heart of these;

·         The righteous

·         The upright

·         The just

·         The lowly.

Wisdom is also seen with the merciful, soul winners, and the diligent. These are the most profound facts of wisdom. According to wisdom, “all the words of my mouth are in righteousness…” Prov. 8:8. It also said “I lead in the way of righteousness…”  and as a matter of fact, Proverbs emphasize ‘righteous’ 54 times and ‘righteousness’ 21 times. Those that run away from the path of righteousness, and will not be upright cannot find wisdom. And are as far from the path of understand as the heavens are from the earth. Look at this “for the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” Prov. 2:6. No wonder James said “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…” James. 1:5. For you to receive wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, you have to hear God. And give attention to his word because from his mouth they proceed. These were the secret of Daniel’s wisdom (righteousness). “…for as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” Daniel 6:4. It was also the secret of Jobs wisdom “…whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” Job 1:1. “oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle… I put on righteousness, and it clothed me…” Job 29:2,3,14. “the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom…” Ps. 37:30. Oh that we may see and understand that wisdom searches for the dwelling of righteousness and makes it her dwelling place. And that we know and understand that wisdom is not with the simple, fools, the wicked, scorners, the oppressor, the forward mouth, the naughty, the proud, workers of iniquity, the unjust, the transgressors, the hypocrite, the talebearer, the cruel, the backslider, everyone that works evil, or hates the knowledge of the holy, the man that refuses good counsel, and despises instructions, that break the commandment and law of God, the abominable, the adulterous, and fornicators and liars.  Wisdom is in “every good path” Prov. 2:9. Wisdom is against hatred, the three forms of laziness (the sluggard, the slack, and the slothful), envy, pride, lying tongue, slandering, flattering, tale bearing, mischief, trusting in riches, false witness, deceitfulness, unbridled tongue, wrong companionship, perverseness, anger, despising others, hasty spirit, sin, arrogance, every evil, taking wine and strong drink, love of sleep, false balance and divers weight.

Wisdom will preserve and keep you, it will give you deliverance from wicked men, and the strange woman (Prov. 2:16-19; 5:3-13; 6:24-35), it will prolong your life (Prov. 3:2,16), it will give you riches and honour (Prov. 8:18,19), a crown of glory, an ornament of grace, your path shall not be difficult, you shall not stumble (Prov. 4:12), and even health. Seek her (Prov. 2:1-4), retain her (Prov. 4:4) love her (Prov. 4:6), exalt her, embrace her (Prov. 4:8).

“wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” Prov. 8:11

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom; and with thy getting get understanding.” Prov. 4:7               

Escape dear friend from the fool, escape as for your life from every foolish disposition. “Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly”. Prov. 17:12. Heed this entreaty and save your soul. If there is any good height you now seek, wisdom will take you there. Stand not in the way of sinners. Don’t you agree friend “also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good…”? how long indeed will fools hate knowledge – even the knowledge of the almighty. “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou may be wise in thy later end”. “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge”. Have you not heard that “The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead”? Therefore, get wisdom.