Socrates said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.” Do know someone that you consider to be wise? Why do you think they are wise? What attributes do they possess? Out of all of the things that Solomon could have been granted when God came to him and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (I Kings 3:5b). Solomon replied, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (I Kings 3:9a) Above all things, he asked for wisdom. Now, just because he was given wisdom, doesn’t mean that he always used it, for we know that in time, “his wives turned away his heart after other gods” (I Kings 11:4), but he was given the opportunity to do great things. Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. So, basically, it’s better to keep your mouth shut and let others think that you’re a fool – than to open your mouth and prove it!
But, how do we get wisdom? Proverbs 2:6 gives us the answer, “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Did you notice that it comes out of His mouth? That means that we get it from listening to Him. I read a quote that said, “Wisdom is what you get from years and years of listening when you’d rather be talking!” The times that I probably learned the most are the times when I “got my hands slapped.” Sometimes, you have to learn your lessons the hard way. Have you ever done something “against your better judgment?” We often do the same thing over and over, and yet we expect different outcomes. Jesus ended His beautiful sermon on the mount with these words, “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24). A wise man will hear AND do.
Do you want to be wise? James tells us, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbradeth not, and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). Maybe we’re still having to learn things the hard way because we haven’t asked God for wisdom to make the right choices – to plan the work and work the plan. William Shakespeare said, “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool” (As You Like It). “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” Proverbs 3:13. May we pray for wisdom and a good harvest, but keep on hoeing! God will do His part. If we are wise, we must do ours. Simply blessed, Courtney