Who is wise? How can wisdom grow within me?

An Emoji Devotions for Fri, 12 February 2021

Who is wise? How can wisdom grow within me?

By H.U. Wenger

As I woke this morning, I took my little devotional with a verse from the Bible for the day. It read: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3, 7) It is my habit to always grab the Bible and read the verse in the context, to not take conclusions in a wrong direction. The verses before read: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” The following verse stated:  “This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” I understood that the short portion of scripture is an advice for my wellbeing. Am I wise in my own eyes, I questioned myself? At first glance it did not feel like it, but as I kept thinking about it, I realized that there are moments in my life where I am secretly harboring a sense of superiority. Not that I would speak about it. I keep it for myself. Nevertheless I internally distance myself from others and I violate love and faithfulness. I lean on my own understanding. I forget that all I have is a gift from the Lord and with that my fear of the Lord has diminished and evil, pride and haughtiness can grow. In those moments, although they may even feel good, I am working against my wellbeing.

The fear of the Lord has nothing to do with anxiety. Fear of the Lord is the awareness that I am responsible before him for all my thinking and doing and that all I am and all I have is his gracious gift to me.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9, 10) He, and He only can give me life eternal. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17, 3) Fear of the Lord ultimately grows out of perfect love, out of the knowledge that no matter what I do, no matter what happens to me, I am surrounded by his love which he has revealed trough the suffering and the death of Christ. Death could not hold him and with him I am resurrected to a new life.

Time and again life tells me that I need more wisdom and I have to take refuge to James 1, 5: “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.”
The apostle James gives us the highlight for today in his teaching about the wisdom from above: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 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. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3, 13 – 18) “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord’.” (1. Corinthians 1, 30 – 31)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to wholeheartedly and fully surrender to you. Make me wise in your eyes and keep me from pride, envy and selfish ambitions. Amen