Exploring Biblical Wisdom - Words From the WiseSample

In these short pieces, we are exploring the gift of wisdom as mentioned in James 1:5. But later, James warns us there are two kinds of wisdom: heavenly and earthly (Jas 3:13-17). These are fundamental opposites, completely at odds with each other. One reason we should ask for heavenly wisdom is so we avoid earthly wisdom, which James describes as unspiritual. It does not derive from the Spirit of God. Rather, it develops within our own thinking, independently of God. As such, it keeps us from God or takes us further away from him.

To understand this more we need to go back to Eden and the initial disobedience by Eve and then Adam. Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was not only ‘good for food and pleasing to the eye’ but also ‘desirable for gaining wisdom’. (Gen 3:6, italics mine)

The Hebrew text reflects a powerful driving force, a great urge to seize something you do not already possess. This is behind the word ‘covet’ as in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:17, Deut 5:21).

There is nothing wrong with desiring wisdom but only within the context of asking for it from God. Eve’s desires had been stirred in the wrong direction. Here was a quick way to gain wisdom. Just take and eat. An easy option, but not the right one. This was grasping, not asking. Taking for yourself is not the same as receiving what is offered.

Ultimately, for Adam and Eve, their action did not lead to wisdom but considerable confusion. It resulted in a loss of ability to see things as they really are and God as he really is. The first humans wrongly thought they could achieve wisdom by exercising their independence. We can be tempted to think the same when we look for wisdom elsewhere than from God.

Basically, earthly wisdom omits God and his truth in favour of human ideas. Man makes his own decisions without reference to anything God has said or revealed about himself. By contrast, heavenly wisdom tells us the real meaning of all that we see and do, in particular how life works when God is allowed to be in charge.

Nevertheless, human wisdom remains a potent force in our world. We find it all around us, promoted by the education system, the entertainment industry, and the media. It heavily influences us. We still find it tempting and have to resist it. We need to exchange earthly wisdom for heavenly wisdom by taking up God’s offer. The choice is ours.