Do you long for wisdom?

I’m not talking about intelligence, although that may be included in wisdom. But most of us know intelligent people who are unwise; or uneducated persons who are wise.

“The fear (awe, reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

—Proverbs 1:7

The Wisdom Books

Don and I read scripture together after breakfast most every day. Today we read the introduction to what are called the “wisdom books” of the Bible – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and The Song of Songs.

These five books deal with human experience as it is—not the glossy photos we post on Facebook or Instagram, not the recounting of our latest delightful experience, but real, authentic life—good and bad. In them, we see how God is present and working front and center within the entire arena of human experience.

The author of the Introduction to the Wisdom Books in THE MESSAGE states it well.

“Sometimes we think our spiritual life—reading the Bible, praying, fellowshipping, worshipping—is more important than our daily lives, communities, work, families, co-workers.”

But, he says, faith has to do with extraordinary and ordinary experience. Neither cancels out or takes priority over the other.

Lament and Confidence

The Psalms pull every aspect of human experience into the presence of God. They include complaint and thanks, doubt and anger, cries of pain and shouts of joy, silent reflection and boisterous worship. David laments his difficulties to God, but returns to confidence in the God Who is Present. They show us that we can pray any human thought, experience, or feeling.

If I’m hurt, angry, or unforgiving, I can turn that to prayer:

“Lord, I’ve been hurt by this person. I feel devalued despite the friendship we used to have. But the pain You suffered for me is so much greater than any hurt I could experience, and so I commit this hurt to You and ask You to help me truly forgive, as You have instructed me to do.”

Practical Wisdom

Ponder these nuggets of wisdom from the book of Proverbs, a most practical guide for daily living.

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”

—Proverbs 14:1

and

“Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.”

—Proverbs 14:7

Or

“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.”

—Proverbs 21:19

And yes, there’s plenty there for men as well.

It’s All God’s Country

These practical guides help us realize that “all this unobtrusive, undramatic dailiness is also God’s country.”

• Sometimes that means cooking for my husband, or cleaning the house, when I’d rather write, or nap.
• Or checking the sodium content on an ingredient list to ensure I’m feeding him healthy food that won’t inflame his kidneys.
• Or picking up a dear friend after a bad fall and spending the afternoon with her in the ER.

We live in the foothills, near lots of wildlife. We often linger at the kitchen table, watching the birds flit by, enjoying the birdseed Don puts out for them. Their variety in beauty and song is delightful.

Saturday morning a bobcat played just beyond our open fence. A cub, he leapt and swatted a pine cone back and forth, then jumped back as if it was going to attack him. I must have watched him for fifteen minutes. He was adorable. Here’s my favorite photo of him.

I don’t want a bobcat in my back yard. Someone asked if I petted him. Not on your life! But behind the open fence, where I could watch his antics, I was delighted by this little guy.

God’s Mind in Day-to-Day Life

And isn’t that an expression of God’s mind in the day-to-day life we all face? I’m reminded by the birds, bobcat, deer, and wild turkeys that God has created each of us unique and precious. Sometimes a cute bobcat cub gives me joy; sometimes I simply plod along, trying to live in the light of God’s truth as He has revealed it to us.

Our attitudes, learning to think like Jesus, these are the things of which wisdom is made.

Polarity Between Humans’ Best and Our Limits

The author I mentioned earlier in this post says the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) and the book of Ecclesiastes deal with “the polarity between the greatest of human, ecstatic love, and the boredom of the ‘same old, same old.’ As we live a life of faith we discover far more in life than we ever dreamed, AND we doggedly put one tired foot in front of the other, wondering what the point is. Song of Songs shows God’s blessing on the best humans can experience; while Ecclesiastes shows us the limits in all human experience.”

I’ve found this to be true. While I have limitations, my life is fuller than I could have imagined. And sometimes I just slog along, waiting for a renewal of my spirit, for pain to end, for my desk to clean itself!

What Does it Mean to Grow in Wisdom?

Growing in biblical wisdom means living with godly skill, thinking increasingly with the mind of God, and prioritizing or judging with His priorities. Wisdom literature reveals the mind, character, priorities, and decision-making of God.

(See 8 Tips for Reading Wisdom Literature at biblestudytools.com)

As we study these books, we learn how to faithfully walk with the Lord in all areas of our life, from the ecstatic to the mundane.

“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.”

—James 3:17

A Life of Holy Salvation

Tears filled my eyes as I read today. And the author’s final paragraph grabbed me.

“In such ways, these Wisdom writers keep us honest with and attentive to the entire range of human experience that God the Spirit uses to fashion a life of holy salvation in each of us.”

Question for Discussion

Where do you need wisdom?

How have scriptures in these wisdom books guided you in specific situations?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.