Receive Wisdom

THE KEY VERSE IMPLIES that the wisdom the Lord desires to give us has two components. They are knowledge and understanding. We are admonished, “My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2:1-5, NKJV) The value of gaining divine wisdom is under-appreciated. Its rewards are inestimable!

Receiving wisdom from God is not a passive experience. The foregoing Scriptures make that plain. We must treasure God’s commands, incline our ears, apply our hearts, cry out for discernment, lift up our voices, seek and search for understanding. During the California Gold Rush of the nineteenth century, many frantically left all behind to go and seek treasure. They had heard and believed that there was much gold to be found, and so they risked life and limb to get a share of the riches. That is the level of urgency we should have in seeking wisdom. Truly, there is treasure of exceeding and eternal value in the Scriptures. In it is found the wise counsel of God—divine wisdom.

The psalmist affirms the value of coming to an understanding of God’s ways. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.” (Ps. 19:7-11, NKJV) Wisdom is a gift that God earnestly desires to give us.

We have all received various gifts in our lifetimes. Some we highly valued and others less so. Generally, the esteem we hold for a gift results from the thoughtfulness we perceive behind its selection. When the gift-giver has put a lot of time and consideration into choosing the gift, endeavoring to make sure it is just the right thing, we appreciate it the more. Upon opening the gift, we may exclaim, “It’s perfect!”

Our Heavenly Father has put much time and effort into preparing the gift of wisdom for us. May we realize the value of it, and the love and sensitivity God has expressed in giving it. If we mindfully live by the precepts of wisdom taught in the Scriptures we will see the enormous benefit of this gift. It likewise is perfect.

Job eloquently spoke of wisdom in his treatise on this subject. His words are an apt conclusion to this lesson. “Where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, … Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. And to man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” (Job 28:12,13,27,28, NKJV) May our hearts be open to receive the wisdom of God.