Wisdom Needed

 

Since realizing I’ve a touch of both ADHD and autism, I can see more clearly how these affect life. For one thing, people with autism tend to not read other people very well, so some of them will over-analyze in the attempt to understand. I do that, yet for a long time thought that meant I was understanding others. But much research and making a long list of possibilities is not the same as getting it right. 

This also explains the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowing a lot of facts is not the same as knowing what to do with that information. Wisdom goes farther and becomes action. 

Proverbs states this difference many times and the NT gives this example:

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. (1 Corinthians 8:1–3)

Being filled with information about any topic could make me an expert in that topic, yet “expert” is sometimes humorously defined as ex means a “has-been” and “pert” means “a drip under pressure.” The above verse says why this is likely — knowledge can puff me up. 

Puff is from a Greek word that means to inflate, be proud, arrogant, haughty. Not at all like Jesus, even though He knows all things. In other words, if I make ‘gathering information’ my goal in life, I will mess with God’s goal of transforming me into the image of His Son. However, because of what Jesus has done, wisdom is available to me. All I have to do is ask God for it:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

This morning I read a prayer that could sound like autism, but certainly sounds like humility. The author tells of matters that confuse him then asks God to show him the difference between a healthy costly investment in people’s lives versus an unhealthy entanglement and becoming enmeshed. He knows he should love as Jesus loves, but sometimes does not know what that looks like. I can relate to this request. He asks for wisdom to discern the difference between rightly validating the emotions of others and trying to “fix” them rather than love them. I relate to this also.

He also asks for wisdom about his own emotions. His list is not the same as mine, yet I also wonder why some things frustrate me one day and not the next, or not today but will tomorrow. He asks for help to listen to others and understand, rather than rushing to judgment or rush out of their story too fast.

PRAY: Dear Lord, just knowing You will give wisdom to those who ask is such a comfort. However, too often my pride gets in the way and I fumble with making a search for more knowledge only to wind up with a to-do list of choices rather than Your wise choice. I am so thankful for this reminder that You grant wisdom freely and generously. I do long for the time when terror is terrified and there will be no more tears, or brokenness or barrenness, or  heartaches or even heartburn, and no more human trafficking or even human tooth decay, no more war or even aggravation, no more evil or even envy, no more poverty or even pouting, and no more “not yet,” “not enough,” or “not now.” Those things I know and understand to be my hope. Grant me the wisdom to live in what are now the perplexities and negatives of this current life along with my current tests and trials. May You grant me the knowledge I need and the wisdom to know what to do with it, but most of all the grace to obey whatever You say to me. Amen.

God makes wise the simple . . .

 

God’s ways are not our ways. I used to look down on people with low IQ (this is a polite way to say it) and God had to show me how wrong I was. He started with these verses:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26–29)

At first this felt like a slap in the face, however He kept verifying this truth:

Behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:14)

Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25)

I began to realize that what I knew about God was solely due to His revelation of Himself and had nothing to do with my so-called IQ. He says:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple . . .  (Psalm 19:7)

Even the disciples who experienced Jesus and walked with Him realized that His Word to them was more powerful and confirming that what they had experienced of Him!

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16–21, italics mine)

This truth was also presented to two disciples on the Emmaus Road. Jesus prevented them from recognizing Him, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) showing how their faith and ministry needed to be based on Scripture, not merely on their firsthand experiences, no matter how profound those experiences may have been.

God’s Word makes the simple wise. It teaches undiscerning, ignorant, and gullible people profound truth from God applies to their lives and gives skill in godly living. As the psalmist wrote and as the Apostle Paul and others prayed:

Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. (Psalm 119:98–100)

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:9–10)

PRAY: Jesus, You tell us to humble ourselves. These truths are humbling and help me “not to think of myself more highly than I ought to think, but to think with sober judgment” and every gift and ability I have is from You. Each day calls for wisdom and I’m glad that when I lack wisdom, I can ask You and You “give generously to all without reproach, and it will be given” to me — through Your Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit. (James 1:5) I’m very thankful.

PONDER Luke 24:13–35, noting the difference between how the disciples’ ‘wisdom’ interpreted things and how Jesus showed them the truth of what had happened.