Wisdom. It’s not about how smart you are. It doesn’t originate from a book or spring from your DNA. It’s difficult to obtain.
Most times, we associate wisdom with experience. It’s the application of knowledge, not actual book sense.
My dad has this saying. If someone’s been through a heap of stuff in their life, he’ll declare they have a lot of miles on them. It doesn’t always mean the person’s wise. Lots of people have had an array of life experiences and not come through them any wiser. But having experiences should make us a wiser.
We should learn as we go. The stove is hot. Don’t touch it. Cross the street in crosswalks. Don’t eat yellow snow. That stuff might not be the best examples of full-blown wisdom, but they’re a start.
I’ve been trying some new tactics to help me learn from my mistakes. Lately, I’ve been missing some important details at work, so I’ve started writing things down and reviewing them before I move on. The repetition helps me sort out my priorities and not let the minor stuff slip through the cracks.
I think that’s baby wisdom.
Real wisdom carries with it more impactful truth. The experience gained here, and the knowledge learned there combine to take you somewhere new or show you something more.
A few years ago, I sat in a room of middle schoolers. The teacher asked the students what the best advice was they’d ever gotten. One 11-year-old girl spoke up and said that her grandfather had once told her, “Good things take time.” Four little words packed with wisdom.
God says a lot about wisdom. He wants us to be wise. Wisdom is better than gold. He even tells us where to begin.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
We might think wisdom starts with us—how much we know, our IQ, what we’ve experienced. But those things are secondary to recognizing who God is. No amount of knowledge or expanse of experience can substitute for recognizing that we are not the epicenter of the universe—for admitting that there is one true God, the creator and lover of mankind.
With a tiny glimpse of the Almighty, we see his greatness and our need for Him, and a holy fear of God takes root in our hearts. That might sound like a bad thing, but it’s a necessary thing.
This kind of fear professes God as LORD of our lives, and in that fear, we find the lovingkindness of our heavenly Father. From there, wisdom can flourish.
True wisdom guides us to make the most of our opportunities. It’s pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
It takes those miles we’ve lived through and makes something of them. Nothing is wasted.
Are you struggling to live a wise life? Take a few minutes and reflect on God Almighty. Seek Him and read these verses on wisdom.
Psalms 90:12
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Psalms 104:24
“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”
Psalms 37:30
“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.”
Psalms 136:5
“To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalms 49:3
“My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.”
Psalms 51:6
“Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
Psalms 111:10
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Popular Bible Verses about wisdom
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.”
Proverbs 1:7
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Colossians 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:15
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,”
Luke 2:52
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
James 3:17
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Proverbs 2:6
“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”