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In my last blog post, I wrote about the different pathways for connecting to God. 
Did you take the assessment?  buy the book?  go for a walk?  call a friend?  sing a song?

DID YOU DO ANYTHING IN RESPONSE?

Because, as you’ll see, that is the point of this blog post.  It’s a word to the would-be wise.
(That’s me, by the way.  And I welcome you to learn alongside me – even to teach me through your comments!) 
 

As a student and contemplative type, I want to be wise.  I want wisdom from heaven!  So naturally, I ask myself: what is that?  What does that mean?  As soon as the questions popped into head, I confess the first thing I did was grab a concordance and start compiling a list of Bible references (some of which you will find below …). 

I do want to be wise.  I do not want to be just a data-head. 

The Pharisees had memorized the Scriptures, but they did not recognize the Word Made Flesh, Jesus as the prophesied Messiah.  They followed all the rules, but missed out on the relationship.  They had only an appearance of wisdom (Colossians 2:23).

By the grace of God, I determined to really read what I was reading, and not get caught in the trap so typical of people with similar inclinations, which is to focus on the letter of the Law and sometimes miss out on the benefits of community.

The Word of the Lord says, do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)

So, we must ask ourselves:
How do we APPLY messages to our lives?  What do we do with information?

To be worth anything, knowledge must lead to a changed life.  In this case, a holy life, a life that exemplifies the Fruit of the Spirit.

Please note that these character qualities are the evidence of the work of the Spirit in our lives.  They are not something natural to us. 
Thankfully, God fills us and strengthens us.  The Apostle Paul wrote, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have
great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father,
who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the
kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have
redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-14)
 


Wise people pursue more wisdom.  They are teachable, humble, and self-controlled.  And they demonstrate their wisdom by their good deeds. 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But 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 3:13-17)

The ultimate goal of our life should be to know God, and to serve Him through serving others. 
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)
 



You can’t talk about faith & deeds without referencing James – just as I should already have mentioned King Solomon, he wisest man who ever lived, famous for having collected proverbs, among other things. 
 
And as long as we’re examining textbook answers, let’s include the definition of love according to 1 Corinthians 13.   The repetitve formula of those verses is: “If I … [do anything] but have not love, I am nothing.” 
 
The Lord is the ultimate source of love, so sometimes He calls us to just be, to be still, to rest, to meditate on His Word.  Through that still meditation, we renew our minds, thus being transformed. 
 


Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.  (Romans 12:2)

To conclude what seems to have become an extensive list of Scriptures (I can’t help it!  and this is the revised limited edition), I want to emphasize one more thing:

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17) So that you may know God better – that is the point of wisdom.


Seek God.  Be in relationship with Him.  Know His Word.  Apply it to your life. 
Got it?
Amen.