Today’s portion of our journey has been a sweet reminder to be thankful for the wise and godly counsel God has provided for me throughout my life. From parents to grandparents, to Pastors, teachers, and Christian friends, the blessing of godly wisdom/counsel has been readily available. I have sought it often and treasure it greatly. Sadly, this was not the case with King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes, as he was otherwise known). Xerxes had many advisers, but none who would lead him with godly wisdom. Because they were worldly, they imparted worldly wisdom to the king, “which led him down a path of confusion and poor decisions.”1
Even with Godly counsel at my disposal, it is easy to succumb to or even listen to the “voices that are loudest or most convenient. Social media, self-help books, or even well-meaning friends can quickly become our go-to sources for advice.2” However, Scripture tells us to seek God’s will in all we do, not to depend on our own understanding, but let Him show us which way to go. As Proverbs 14:8 points out, to do it any other way is the foolishness of fools. Godly wisdom is rooted in His Word, and His Word will never lead us wrong or fail us.
Who we choose to walk alongside us in these moments makes all the difference. Are we surrounding ourselves with people who point us back to God’s truth! Are they speaking God’s truth into our situations or adding more confusion?
For Such a Time As This, Journal, p49
I ache for those who do not know God and those who have no true concern for His opinion. How sad and dangerous it is for those who do not know what it is like to have faith and confidence in Him and His wisdom and truth. Their concern is with the earthly kingdom and what will please or displease others, or what will get them where they want to go, rather than with what is good and right to do and what leads them where God wants them to go. May we be ready disciples of the Word – ready with an answer for the hope that is in us, ready to point others to God’s truth, which is light and life and peace.
Note: There is more than poor counsel and sorrow in today’s passage. For while we do not see/read His name on the pages of the book of Esther, God was working all things together for the good of His people. Keep your eyes open and jot down glimpses you catch of Him throughout the journey. Training ourselves to do this can make such a difference in our own lives when we are struggling to see or sense His presence. – How have you seen Him working in your life? Do you see Him today?
Prayer
Father, teach us and help us to seek Your wisdom above all when troubles come our way. Thank You for the people You have surrounded me with throughout my life – who belong to You, love You, and have imparted wisdom and counsel from Your Word. Help me to do the same for others – In Jesus’ Name – Amen.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you. 7 Wisdom is supreme— so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire acquire understanding!
Proverbs 4:6-7
When Solomon speaks of wisdom, he is referring to the precepts, or general rules, of God’s Word. It is seen throughout Scripture that the person who chooses to live according to the Word of God is spared from the destruction that comes to those who forsake or refuse His Word. Or, as BIbleref.com explains it, “Those who live by godly principles are far less likely to suffer the consequences faced by those who participate in sin and depravity.” Solomon was trained by his father to follow God’s word, and now he was teaching his son the same lesson. He wanted him to know that there is nothing more valuable than gaining the wisdom of God. Possessing godly wisdom is better than any amount of material possessions, wealth, or fame. However, we must not simply acquire wisdom but also seek to understand it, for without understanding, we will easily fall prey to the hindrances of this life that can quickly deter us from faithfully following God’s will.
Godly wisdom may look very different from worldly wisdom. Jesus highlighted these differences in His Sermon On the Mount For example, He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” Godly wisdom often requires us to do that which is opposite our natural inclinations. Godly wisdom goes against the “conventional wisdom” of the day; it is not focused on self-preservation but on furthering the kingdom of God. We can only live in godly wisdom when we are committed to crucifying our flesh and living in the Spirit (see Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:16, 25).
gotquestions.org (read it all in today’s “The More We Know”)
Wisdom from the Journey
Seek to fill your mind with wisdom from God. For when we stay true to God’s wisdom our hearts will be guarded and we will be protected.
Reflection On the Journey
What practical steps can you take to seek God’s wisdom through His Word?
According to the last chapter of “In His Image”, the last of the 10 attributes of God that we are to imitate is wisdom. As the author points out “wisdom is closely related to knowledge, but distinct from it.” They are so closely related that you may be wondering exactly what the difference is, my short take on it is this – Wisdom, is the application of knowledge, which is to “possess the facts”. Mrs. Wilkin goes on to point out the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, saying – “The wisest human you know is capable of choosing wrongly, simply because he does not possess all the facts.” However, she explains, “Because God holds all knowledge, He is able to choose [the] perfect [outcome].” This means there is a difference between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom, which James, the brother of Jesus, explains in James 3:13-18. Wilkin states that “worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom are antithetical and adversarial” and summarizes the differences as such:
Worldly wisdom seeks the highest place. Godly wisdom seeks the lowest place.
Worldly wisdom avoids the mirror of the Word. Godly wisdom submits to the mirror of the Word
Worldly wisdom trusts in earthly possessions. Godly wisdom trusts in treasures in heaven.
Worldly wisdom boasts. Godly wisdom is slow to speak.
Worldly wisdom says trials will crush you. Godly wisdom says trials will mature you.
Worldly wisdom says temptation is no big deal. Godly wisdom says temptation indulged leads to death.
Worldly wisdom says, “seeing is believing.” Godly wisdom says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”(John 20:29).
Worldly wisdom wields might. Godly wisdom works in meekness.
The bottom-line is this, “The worldly-wise place themselves in opposition to God, operating from their own perspective of what is best, a perspective that seeks only the best for them.”
If you find yourself wondering how to possess “Godly wisdom”, you’ll find the answer in James 1:5, where we are instructed to simply ask God, who will give it generously.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5
You see, God is the source of all wisdom. Job said, “With God arewisdom and might … [God] has counsel and understanding … With him are strength and sound wisdom.” (Job 12:13-17) This statement from Job introduces a third word into the mix of wisdom and knowledge, that being ‘understanding’, which has been defined by many to be the “comprehension of the facts”. I believe understanding is crucial to the mix – as it will, or should, help us better apply the facts in a more godly way – especially if we add prayer to the mix as well – which is a must for any reading of God’s Word. For how can we read and hope to comprehend the words of one whose thoughts and ways are so far above our own if we do not pray for understanding?
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26
God has actually placed the source of understanding within every believer, through His gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that the Spirit was given to teach us all things and remind us of everything that Christ said. Being finite creatures who do not hold all knowledge nor retain everything we hear, see, or even understand, we will find ourselves constantly in need of a “sustaining supply of godly wisdom”, and we must not be afraid to ask, or slack in asking for it. In other words, don’t just read to be reading and checking off a list – read for knowledge, to know the facts, about Your Creator God and to become like Him (Colossians 3:10) … pray and read to understand …. and then ask Him for the wisdom to appropriately apply it to your life. He will hear and He will answer and we will be forever changed
Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions based on the knowledge available.
Jen Wilkin, In His Image -p 136
So, let’s ask the question that we started with two weeks ago, “Who should [we] be?” God’s Word instructs us in the way of wisdom so it is safe – and wise – to say that He wants us to be wise, not as the world is wise but as He is. So how can we be wise like God? – We open His Word – where pictures of His wisdom are sprinkled throughout the pages. Or as Wilkin writes, “We do so by declaring, as Solomon did, “Bring me a sword”. For, as the author of Hebrews wrote, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Wilkin goes on to write: “The Word of God gives us discernment into what is arguably the area we need it most: the thoughts and intentions of our own hearts. In seeing our own depravity, we develop a right reverence (fear) of the Lord. And wisdom begins to be formed in us. When God points out your sin, you are wise to turn from it. The most basic act of wisdom is repentance. Turning from sin trains us in how to hate it, in how to anticipate the temptation points, and in how to seek the Holy Spirit’s aid in finding the way of escape.”
Father, I give You praise for revealing wisdom to us in Your Word and in the example of Christ our Lord. show us if and where worldly wisdom control our thoughts, words, and actions. Show To the only wise God, my Father, be glory and majesty. Show us where we are are requesting knowledge instead of godly wisdom. Grant us wisdom and prod us to keep on asking for it – and help us to trust You to give it generously as You have promised, in Jesus’ name. Now, to the only wise God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
Me From the Inside Out 