Would you consider yourself a wise person? How do you define wisdom? Who would you describe as the wisest person you’ve ever met? Where does true wisdom come from? Where is wisdom's origin and where can we find it? Is it only for the intellectual elites? The brainiacs of this world? Consider this: God’s estimation of a wise person is one who has discovered the true acquisition of and source of wisdom. The Hebrew word for the wisdom I’m referring to here is “Yirah” which simply means “fear” not fearful or afraid but “awe and reverence for God.” This is not popular with most people today. How can being in awe or reverencing someone who you’ve never seen, bring wisdom? After all, we have PhD's from the best schools money can buy. But without the fear of the Lord, all we have is the wisdom of the world which amounts to foolishness in the eyes of God who’s the source of true Wisdom.
Wisdom is a person. God says to know Him is the origin or beginning of wisdom. Jesus Christ came to introduce us to true Wisdom.
“Brothers and sisters, consider who you were when God called you to salvation. Not many of you were wise scholars by human standards, nor were many of you in positions of power. Not many of you were considered the elite when you answered God’s call. But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that He would shame the somebodies. For He chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence. For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption. And this fulfills what is written: If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 TPT
To ignore Wisdom’s cry is to risk our lives. The Word of God is His voice speaking to us. Instructing, correcting, leading and guiding us who are willing to submit to His authority. He will never force us to listen or follow, but He is always calling out to us. What we choose to do is solely up to us. The knowledge gained in secular or even religious institutions cannot be compared with the wisdom that comes firstly from fearing Him and heeding the instructions given to us from the Word of God. I know there are those who believe the scriptures are outdated, but wisdom and knowledge of His Word never loses its relevance . Let’s read about the risks involved with ignoring Wisdom’s voice.
“Wisdom’s praises are sung in the streets and celebrated far and wide. Yet wisdom’s song is not always heard in the halls of higher learning. But in the hustle and bustle of everyday life its lyrics can always be heard above the din of the crowd. You will hear wisdom’s warning as she preaches courageously to those who stop to listen: “Foolish ones, how much longer will you cling to your deception? How much longer will you mock wisdom, you cynical scorners who fight the facts? Come back to your senses and be restored to reality. Don’t even think about refusing my rebuke! Don’t you know that I’m ready to pour out My Spirit of wisdom upon you and bring to you the revelation of My Words that will make your heart wise? I’ve called to you over and over; still you refuse to come to Me. I’ve pleaded with you again and again, yet you’ve turned a deaf ear to My voice. Because you have laughed at My counsel and have insisted on continuing in your stubbornness, I will laugh when your calamity comes and will turn away from you at the time of your disaster. Make a joke of My advice, will you? Then I’ll make a joke out of you! When the storm clouds of terror gather over your head, when dread and distress consume you and your catastrophe comes like a hurricane, you will cry out toMe, but I won’t answer. Then it will be too late to expect My help. When desperation drives you to search for Me , I will be nowhere to be found. Because you have turned up your nose at Me and closed your eyes to the facts and refused to worship Me in awe — because you scoffed at My wise counsel and laughed at My correction— now you will eat the bitter fruit of your own ways. You’ve made your own bed; now lie in it! So how do you like that? Like an idiot you’ve turned away from Me and chosen destruction instead. Your self-satisfied smugness will kill you.”
Proverbs 1:20-32 TPT
Ignoring the Giver of life in any area is risky business. Refusing to give Him the honor that He’s due is to our own peril. He owes us nothing, but He offers us everything. And it starts with fearing Him. If we desire to experience true Wisdom, not the wisdom of this world that puffs up and preaches “ look at me” but the wisdom that is from above, then we must seek to know the Source of Wisdom. Jesus Christ, as we read in 1 Corinthians 1, has been made unto us the wisdom of God. When we hear His voice and yield to His teachings, we open up our lives to the Spirit of Wisdom. This bypasses and is superior to earthly wisdom. The destruction of those who chose their way over His is certain. But there’s always good news. The willing and the obedient always partakes of the goodness of Abba.
Proverbs 1 ends on a high note:
“But the one who always listens to Me will live undisturbed in a heavenly peace. Free from fear, confident and courageous,” Proverbs 1:33 TPT
The same Lord who gives us the ability to obtain earthly knowledge, also offers us superior wisdom. Knowing and reverencing Him first and foremost, sets us apart even with our earthly accolades and accomplishments. Find a man who’s a scholar and a believer in Jesus Christ the Wisdom from heaven, and you’ll discover an individual filled with discernment and humility. Find a person with no education even considered illiterate by the world’s standards, but filled with the Spirit of Wisdom, and you’ll find the wisest person who’s ever lived. That person has chosen the path to true success. They have heeded Wisdom’s call.
“Here are kingdom revelations, words to live by, and words of wisdom given to empower you to reign in life, written as proverbs by Israel’s King Solomon, David’s son. Within these sayings will be found the revelation of wisdom and the impartation of spiritual understanding. Use them as keys to unlock the treasures of true knowledge. Those who cling to these words will receive discipline to demonstrate wisdom in every relationship and to choose what is right and just and fair. These proverbs will give you great skill to teach the immature and make them wise, to give youth the understanding of their design and destiny. For the wise, these proverbs will make you even wiser, and for those with discernment, you will be able to acquire brilliant strategies for leadership. These kingdom revelations will break open your understanding to unveil the deeper meaning of parables, poetic riddles, and epigrams, and to unravel the words and enigmas of the wise. We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God. Stubborn know-it-alls will never stop to do this, for they scorn true wisdom and knowledge.”
Proverbs 1:1-7 TPT
Ignoring Wisdom’s cry is risky business.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
July 12, 2021