journey onWord with us

On several occasions recently I have asked individuals, “who is the wisest person you know?”  It has been interesting to me that there is never a quick answer.  Quite frankly, most of the time, I haven’t received an answer at all. If you were challenged to name the wisest person you know, could you name anyone? You may be wondering why I would even consider such a question.  The answer is simply that I believe one of the greatest virtues that can ever be attributed to someone is wisdom.  Proverbs 4:7 gives us a great picture of God’s view of wisdom.

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. (NLT)

If it is such a big deal, we should all be seeking it!

Over the last few weeks, I have been meeting with a few business owners and discussing wisdom from Proverbs. The weekly comments have been insightful to me as we have looked at how to apply wisdom in our lives. What does a man or woman of wisdom look like anyway? When I think of a wise person, my mind goes to the person that doesn’t speak the most or the loudest, but when they speak, I want to hear every word.  The thoughts are typically reasoned and balanced. They have a handle on the subject matter being discussed, and an understanding of how to apply their knowledge.  An over-riding definition of wisdom to me is, the mind of God revealed. A person can have lots of worldly wisdom, and skills in certain areas, but the wisdom that transcends those characteristics is wisdom that looks at life from God’s perspective.

In my wisdom quest, I have been profoundly impacted by Proverbs 16:23, and its implications over the past week. As you read the verse, realize the potential that it can have for you.

From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.

For this verse I also chose the New Living Translation. Other versions use the word heart instead of mind, but I believe the context to be the same. We can look at the heart as the whole inner being, and it is the depository of wisdom and the place from where our speech comes. It goes without saying that to gain the perspective of God for all situations we must have a consistent intake of His Word. When we continually deposit the Word, focus on its truth and apply the principles….wise speech will be the result.

As you read the following story, reflect on wisdom personified and think of how you would have responded. Corrie ten Boom tells a fascinating story of her father’s wisdom in her book, The Hiding Place.

As a child, Corrie once traveled with her father by train from their home in Haarlem, the Netherlands to Amsterdam. Her father was a watchmaker and traveled to repair parts for new watches that he had sold. He carried a large, heavy briefcase with his parts and tools. Corrie had seen the word “sex” written somewhere and couldn’t understand what it meant so she questioned her father as they traveled. She asked her father to define the word “sex”. He turned and looked at her, but said nothing. At last he stood, lifted his heavy briefcase from above and put it on the floor. “Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?” he said. “It’s too heavy.” she said.

“Yes,” he said. “And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load.  It’s the same way Corrie, with knowledge.  Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it.  For now you must trust me to carry it for you”.

Wow, what wisdom! Corrie’s father was thoughtful and didn’t shun the question, but gave her a reasoned profound answer. We can all learn from his response.  I am sure he was a man who took in the Word, prayed about life, and applied the truth he knew. And at a critical moment, his words were wise.

Wouldn’t it be great if when asked, “who is the wisest person you know,” someone mentioned your name? You may feel it can’t happen, but I believe it can. It will only happen if you gain God’s perspective. You can … and when you do; your speech will be wise and your words persuasive. You won’t speak the loudest or the most. You won’t need too, because, the words you do say will carry tremendous weight. If getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do, seek it.