The Ultimate Source of Wisdom
James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (NIV)
As we go through life we discover there are many ways to gain wisdom, such as:
1) Writing down and reflecting on what we've learned through experience.
2) Gleaning from the collective knowledge of others. 'By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom' (Proverbs 13:10 NKJV).
3) Thinking outside the box. Statements like, 'This is the way we do things around here' warrant scrutiny when they're used to defend ways that no longer work.
4) Not rushing to closure. Growth is always a work-in-progress. Creativity is untidy and unnerving. The ability to stay focused and faith-filled in the midst of change is a hallmark of maturity.
But the ultimate source of wisdom is God! A young executive told his secretary he'd an important meeting and didn't want to be interrupted. But his boss needed to see him and walked in. When he found the young executive on his knees praying, he withdrew quietly and asked the secretary, 'Is this usual?' 'Yes,' she replied, 'he does it every morning.' 'No wonder I come to him for advice!' said his boss. If you need wisdom, talk to God: 'For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding' (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV). 'If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally...and it will be given to him' (James 1:5 NKJV). 'The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy' (James 3:17 NKJV). 'I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you...' (Psalm 32:8 NKJV).
(Adapted from UCB's Daily Devotion.)
As we go through life we discover there are many ways to gain wisdom, such as:
1) Writing down and reflecting on what we've learned through experience.
2) Gleaning from the collective knowledge of others. 'By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom' (Proverbs 13:10 NKJV).
3) Thinking outside the box. Statements like, 'This is the way we do things around here' warrant scrutiny when they're used to defend ways that no longer work.
4) Not rushing to closure. Growth is always a work-in-progress. Creativity is untidy and unnerving. The ability to stay focused and faith-filled in the midst of change is a hallmark of maturity.
But the ultimate source of wisdom is God! A young executive told his secretary he'd an important meeting and didn't want to be interrupted. But his boss needed to see him and walked in. When he found the young executive on his knees praying, he withdrew quietly and asked the secretary, 'Is this usual?' 'Yes,' she replied, 'he does it every morning.' 'No wonder I come to him for advice!' said his boss. If you need wisdom, talk to God: 'For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding' (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV). 'If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally...and it will be given to him' (James 1:5 NKJV). 'The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy' (James 3:17 NKJV). 'I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you...' (Psalm 32:8 NKJV).
(Adapted from UCB's Daily Devotion.)
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