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and loving all His people
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Monday, March 05, 2007
heyz, i chance upon this article when starting on mi new QT book. anyway... hope it gives u a better understaning of heavenly and earthly wisdom that confused u all tt day. :)
The meaning of wisdom
Wisdom is the practical side of knowledge. It shows us what is important, gives proportion to what we know, and enables us to use insight skillfully to reach a desired goal.
There is more than one kind of wisdom
According to the New Testament, the wisdom of the world if different than the wisdom of God. The first uses knowledge to get ahead at the expense of others. The second uses understanding for the good of others. Each is distinguished by its motives.
Seeing that real wisdom is not only a function of the mind but also a condition of the heart, an apostle of Christ wrote:
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom… For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But 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. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13, 16-18).
By describing what’s at the heart of both kinds of wisdom, James explained why knowledge makes some people arrogant while enabling others to love. The wisdom he recommended is “pure” because it is not infected by “selfish ambition.” It is “peaceable” because it values good relationships with others. It is “gentle” because it knows the value of handling others with care. This wisdom is “willing to yield” and is “full of mercy and good fruits.” It is also “without partiality and without hypocrisy” because it puts the well-being of others above selfish interests.
The source of real wisdom
Once we see that knowledge without wisdom is like marriage without love, we can see why Solomon wrote, “Happy is the [person] who finds wisdom, and the man [or woman] who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare to her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).
The priceless treasure Solomon is describing is found by those who invest their lives in the principles of the Bible. The Old Testament describes a wisdom that begins with the fear of God and is rounded out by the timeless principles of practical insight (Proverbs 1:1-7; 9:10). The New Testament builds on the wisdom of Moses and Solomon but moves to another level of enlightenment. With the coming of Christ, the Gospel writers introduce us to Someone who makes the wisdom of Solomon pale by comparison. As the Son of God, Jesus did more than teach truth and knowledge and wisdom. He personified it (1 Corinthians 1:20-31).
As Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus could have overwhelmed us with new information. He could have lectured on science, theology and philosophy in the most prestigious academies of higher learning. Yet when He walked among us, He talked about what He know was most important. He talked about honoring His Father and seeing the value of people who were regarded as worthless by others.
Showing wisdom with a heart of love, Jesus had a way of putting other information in perspective. With wisdom that speaks for itself, He simply asked questions like, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
~Our Journey, March - May 2007, Mart De Haan~
The meaning of wisdom
Wisdom is the practical side of knowledge. It shows us what is important, gives proportion to what we know, and enables us to use insight skillfully to reach a desired goal.
There is more than one kind of wisdom
According to the New Testament, the wisdom of the world if different than the wisdom of God. The first uses knowledge to get ahead at the expense of others. The second uses understanding for the good of others. Each is distinguished by its motives.
Seeing that real wisdom is not only a function of the mind but also a condition of the heart, an apostle of Christ wrote:
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom… For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But 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. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13, 16-18).
By describing what’s at the heart of both kinds of wisdom, James explained why knowledge makes some people arrogant while enabling others to love. The wisdom he recommended is “pure” because it is not infected by “selfish ambition.” It is “peaceable” because it values good relationships with others. It is “gentle” because it knows the value of handling others with care. This wisdom is “willing to yield” and is “full of mercy and good fruits.” It is also “without partiality and without hypocrisy” because it puts the well-being of others above selfish interests.
The source of real wisdom
Once we see that knowledge without wisdom is like marriage without love, we can see why Solomon wrote, “Happy is the [person] who finds wisdom, and the man [or woman] who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare to her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).
The priceless treasure Solomon is describing is found by those who invest their lives in the principles of the Bible. The Old Testament describes a wisdom that begins with the fear of God and is rounded out by the timeless principles of practical insight (Proverbs 1:1-7; 9:10). The New Testament builds on the wisdom of Moses and Solomon but moves to another level of enlightenment. With the coming of Christ, the Gospel writers introduce us to Someone who makes the wisdom of Solomon pale by comparison. As the Son of God, Jesus did more than teach truth and knowledge and wisdom. He personified it (1 Corinthians 1:20-31).
As Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus could have overwhelmed us with new information. He could have lectured on science, theology and philosophy in the most prestigious academies of higher learning. Yet when He walked among us, He talked about what He know was most important. He talked about honoring His Father and seeing the value of people who were regarded as worthless by others.
Showing wisdom with a heart of love, Jesus had a way of putting other information in perspective. With wisdom that speaks for itself, He simply asked questions like, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
~Our Journey, March - May 2007, Mart De Haan~
Anonymous at 11:00 PM