There are differences among knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Knowledge is information. Understanding is comprehension, and wisdom is application. It is possible to be knowledgeable about something, to comprehend it, and not apply it. You can be a professor of a particular subject matter. You are a professor of information. Many of us agree with the word of God, but we agree with our heads (mental assent) and not with our hearts.
What is wisdom?
Wisdom is to know the right thing to do from the word of God and to do it. It is to know the right place to go and to go there. It is applied knowledge.
Foolishness has no respect for age, position, or title. You can be a professor of academics and still be a fool. That explains why a supposed respected professor would sleep with a student who is the same age as his daughter. You see, wisdom has nothing to do with intellect. It can only be gotten from God through the application of His word.
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. – Matthew 7:24
The wisdom of God is the principal thing (Prov. 4:7). We cannot be successful in any area of life without walking in the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God is the principles of life. I don’t care who you are; you can never succeed in life without principles. Walking in biblical principles is the only guarantee to triumphant living. For instance, the principle of marriage in Ephesians chapter 5 will save any marriage from divorce, as no marriage will ever work if the husband does not love the wife and the wife does not submit to the husband.
Why do we need wisdom?
We need wisdom because wisdom is the stability of our time (Isaiah 33:8). In this era of uncertainties, only those who are wise will be able to escape the effects of the hard times. There could be a global meltdown, an economic crisis, inflation, and unemployment. Only the wise will survive. As believers, we are meant to operate in the kingdom economy where the holocaust cannot reach via the application of kingdom principles.
We need wisdom because it is profitable to direct. Wisdom is an all-time requirement for leading. Every leader needs wisdom to be successful in carrying out the assignment of leadership. The husband needs God’s wisdom to successfully run his family affairs. The government needs God’s wisdom to lead a nation. Pastors need God’s wisdom to manage their congregation’s affairs. Wisdom reduces wasted energy, time, and efforts employed to get things done.
How can we get wisdom?
By placing a demand for it on the prayer altar. We get divine wisdom by asking. King Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifice to the Lord, and the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “Ask me whatever you desire,” Solomon asked for wisdom, and the Lord gave him not only wisdom but also riches and honors (see 1 King.3). In James chapter 1 verses 5–6,
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him; but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” “He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.”
By committing to reading the Bible, books, and listening to tapes of anointed men of God, We can get wisdom by committing ourselves to studies. The Bible should not be read like a newspaper; we should have our pen and notebook beside us, noting the facts that speak to our issues and concerns.
The books that we buy should contain materials that topically address our most pressing life concerns. If our most pressing need is freedom from financial hardship, we can busy ourselves with materials that address the issue.
Pro tip: engage in prayer and fasting while you are in the adventure of studying; light will dawn from heaven and show you the way out of your challenge.
Paul told his ministry son, Timothy, to study to show himself approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Until your light gains divine approval, you may never get out of your present challenges. It was Jesus’ custom to read during His earthly ministry, and Daniel understood by book (see Luke 4:16; Daniel 9:2). You see, you have no excuse not to commit yourself to extensive studies. Study the Bible because it is a solution book. It offers all-purpose solutions to all problems in life.
Final Thoughts
Wisdom is applied knowledge. It is knowing the right thing to do from the word of God and doing it. We need wisdom because:
- It’s the stability of our time.
- It’s profitable to direct.
- It’s the principal thing.
How can we get wisdom? We can get wisdom by:
- Asking from God.
- Through a commitment to studying the word of God.
If you want to know if people are wise or not, listen to their words. When Jesus was speaking to the elites in Luke 2:41-52, they could recognize wisdom from His speech. Watch out for the fools and look out for the wise.
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” – Proverbs 13:20
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