Wisdom

One of my favorite apologists, Chesterton, said that Jesus promised his disciples three things: “That they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.” These words are true if we’re following Jesus. I don’t know anyone who truly follows Him who does not understand this!  But even 2000 years later, after thousands of pages testifying about God’s love have been recorded, and hundreds of thousands of martyrs have died, and even though we live in a nation that was based upon Christian principles and the virtues of living godly lives, we still find it difficult to live as we were redeemed to live. Too often, we just go along with the crowd.  Chesterton also quipped that, "A dead thing goes with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it."

I hope that these words challenge you to consider where you are in your journey and, perhaps, how to lighten your load or find a better path. Most of my messages are for the Christian, not for those looking into Christianity. I think that there are men called to be evangelists, but a pastor is called to tend to the flock—— and to share the good news as opportunity arises.  You don't need a church to tell you you’re wrong, where you already know you’re wrong; You need a Church to tell you you’re wrong where you think you’re right!

Part of the challenge I face as a pastor is that I am speaking to people, here and during the summer,  who live in a nation overcome with the proliferation of shallow commitments to Christ.   In the USA, and especially the South, there’s a culture of Christianity that hasn’t shaken us or caused us to take risks.   We have so many, many denominations, and even within the denominations, fractures and divisions.  This is mainly because we don’t like certain things Jesus and the apostles taught—— or we don’t like emphasis upon teachings we don’t like.  “If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” – Saint Augustine.  You’ve become your own church and your own religion.

 “God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.” – Saint Augustine.  Did you hear that?  His only Son—-all his prophets—all the disciples of His Son also suffered.   I wonder how many people in our country would truly become Christians if they were warned that they would surely suffer by following Jesus, and perhaps even die!   But if that’s what's happening, even now, as an awakening is happening in the Muslim world. You follow Christ in many nations; you are going to suffer and maybe even be murdered.  And that’s why there’s a revival taking fire all over Asia, Africa, and the Muslim world.

But today’s message is to shake us into a reality of how we’re supposed to be living.  My hope is to get our eyes onto the way things should be—— and how they eternally will be!   Much preaching today is of the “feel good about yourself”, and because God loves you and Christ died for you should feel good!  But you'll never find the solution if you don't see the problem.  And the biggest problem is that we associate with people, even in church, who really do not believe in the Son.  "The problem of disbelieving in God and His Son is not that a man ends up believing nothing.   Alas, it is much worse. He ends up believing anything.” (Chesterton).

That’s the challenge of living in this passing world, but not getting too trapped within it. “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world, heaven,  that they have become so ineffective in this.”  C. S. Lewis

I hope that what I speak to you will be verified and considered after you leave here. As Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”  Test today, to see if what I say is true.  Think about the inspired words from the book of Proverbs:  "Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:6-7, NIV

Today’s message is about wisdom—the kind that Solomon had.  It’s a gift from God, yes, but it’s also something you have to want. God gives it, but only to those who humble themselves and ask for it. It would appear, by definition, that if you are arrogant and pride-filled, you are not wise. You might have a high IQ and even be sly and cunning, but you’re not wise.  And you know, I don’t know any wise men who are arrogant.  In fact, wisdom and humility go hand-in-hand.  By that definition, we have almost no wise people living in Washington, DC.

We are witnessing a nation as divided as I have ever seen it since the Vietnam War.  Our leaders need wisdom—not knowledge!  But how can they get it, because they need it?  Here’s what James said:  “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  James 1:5.  We claim to believe in God’s word and that it cannot fail.  Do we believe this verse from James? I cannot transfer or infuse wisdom into my children, or my friends, or to Donald Trump or Chuck Schumer… all I can do is pray that they might be humbled and turn their eyes to Him—the author of wisdom.

Do you do that? Do you admit you don’t know what to do, how to do it, and how to go forward?  Are you asking Him for wisdom each and every day and in all circumstances?  It’s changed my life—— for the better!!  I am admitting to Him, more and more, the older I am getting, and the more youth that I adopt,  that I don’t know what to do and need His wisdom.

Wisdom and knowledge—and even experience— are not the same thing. The dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to reach intelligent conclusions… the capacity to judge and decide with soundness, prudence, and intelligence.   Knowledge, on the other hand, is “information gained through experience, and education or reasoning.”  Our President and congressmen have great knowledge—they’re all brighter than I am!   But knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not the other way around. One can be knowledgeable without being wise. Knowledge is knowing how to use a gun; wisdom is knowing when to use it and when to keep it holstered.

And obviously, knowledge is good—God wants us to learn, gain experience, and have knowledge of Him and what He expects of us. In fact, in order to obey Him, we have to know the commands.  But more important is wisdom. Knowing facts about God and the Bible is not wisdom. Satan has knowledge—so do atheists and members of the Taliban. Wisdom is different.

We’re to pray for wisdom and then carefully use that wisdom to honor Him and draw others to Him as we display that wisdom.  Paul said,  “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV). Wisdom probably won’t make you popular. Just look at the newspaper or watch TV to see just how evil the world is and how hated people who love God and use wisdom are.

And I would say this about anyone who claims to know God and have God’s wisdom and continues to live a life of hate and violence—-as with those that slaughter their own people for protesting for freedom, and the Communist despots of North Korea, China, and Cuba:

“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.”  James 3:17, NIV  Be careful to accept as “wise” those who are masquerading as creatures of light and yet glory in violence and meanness. Chairman Xi, Putin, Kim, and their ilk are not wise—they are cunning and clever—so is their father the devil.

So let me share some things to remember about wisdom:

1. It’s the single most important gift to seek, according to God, our Creator.  “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” Proverbs 16:16.  Time and time again, we’re urged to gain wisdom—-to cherish it and earnestly ask God for it.  Do we?  Do our leaders? Are we teaching this to our children?  You can’t learn wisdom or absorb it. You have to earnestly seek it from the source of wisdom….and then follow the dictates of wisdom.

2. It’s essential for evangelism. You’ve got to have it, or you could do more damage than good!  “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."Colossians 4:5-6.  You cannot live in the world and accomplish His tasks if you’re an idiot or fail to respond and react properly. You can’t learn this in seminary or college—— you have to receive it as a gift from Him.

3. It is the quintessential secret to step out of merely existing and start living abundantly! “The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper."Proverbs 19:8.  Why don’t we talk about this more?  Why do we trust gadgets or collecting more and more things as being the means to a good life??  You can have all the toys you want, but without wisdom, our lives will be dull and unfulfilled.

4. The essential attitude you must have if you seek the gift of wisdom from God is humility. “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise."1 Corinthians 3:18.  When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

5. Now is the time to get wise—-not later! Make that decision today—-right now.  “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."Psalm 90:12.  Why number our days? So that we can see how ridiculous it is to wait till we retire or get ready for the grave to stop blundering and stumbling through marriages, jobs, friendships, careers, vocations, relationships, and chasing rainbows!

6. You can’t get wisdom from books, by living long enough,  merely from experience or even from listening to wise people—those all these things are advantageous.   In fact, “the next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are”. C.S Lewis.  But wisdom is the divine knowledge He imparts to us that exceeds mere knowledge. And some folks couldn't care less about it. “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. "Proverbs 18:2.  Which are you? A person who always blabs has his/her opinion, or one who speaks as God imparts that wisdom?  Have you humbled yourself—— and surrendered your tongue and wandering thoughts to Him—— and asked Him to give you the words, the thoughts, the ideas, and persuasive rhetoric you are looking for to get the work done and God’s will accomplished? Or are you still trusting your own limited resources?

7.  The gift of wisdom does not guarantee that you will live and act wisely, only that you can. “Doing” is not a gift—wisdom is. There are many people that you will come across who have wisdom, but don’t follow their own counsel and insight.  Solomon was the worst. We’re told in I Kings 11:1-4, NIV  that “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter--Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.  He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”   What a sad epithet to what could have been the most glorious reign in the history of Israel.

You never hear about people coming from the house of Solomon, but the house of his father, David. David was a man less educated, perhaps a little less wise in some ways, and probably less instructed—-but he was the wisest of the two in this regard: He was a man in love with God.

So let me leave you with some words of wisdom that are not found in the Bible, but from a man in love with God, Saint Augustine:

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him is the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

“For you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

Oh, to have more men of God filled with wisdom in our pulpits and Capitols.