What is Wisdom? How Wise are you?
For your listening enjoyment listen to podcast JesusRx Prescription for Life episode 21.
Who do you know that is very wise? Think about that person for a moment. What are some of the reasons you would refer to a person as wise? Is it because they have developed inventions that have enabled them to accumulate large amounts of money? Is it because they have attended schools of higher learning and received multiple degrees in different areas? Is it because they have a very high I.Q.?
My husband and I went to check out a dolly to tow the car with when we travel in the RV, and the gentleman selling it was very nice. Next to him was a small house and a fenced-in area with about four chickens. I kept hearing what sounded like a pigeon in the coop. I started to look to see it. He told me there was a pigeon in the coop and mentioned that the guy next door used to work for Michael Jackson. He said the pigeon had been rescued, nursed back to health, and could now fly, but it wouldn’t leave. Whenever the man comes out, the bird jumps on his shoulder and won’t fly off. After he mentioned working with Michael Jackson, I became curious to see if other “famous” people wanted to escape the busy cities and live in Pahrump. I was aware of Hedi Fleiss as she had been in the news several times. She was referred to as the “Hollywood Madam.” According to Proverbs 7, giving into a crafty harlot does not bring wisdom. Sexual immorality is not a display of wisdom.
The person I knew nothing about was Ronald G. Wayne. A co-founder of Apple. I read online he is now 90. On Apple's 40th anniversary, the BBC interviewed with Mr. Wayne. He was 81 then. He was given 10% of the company, and 12 days later, after creating documents for the company, his name was removed, and he was given $800. He had gone to the registry to get his name removed. A year later, he received $ 1,500 to forfeit any potential future claims against Apple. Mr. Wayne was 41 at the time Steve Jobs asked him for help recruiting Steve Wozniak. The Steves were in their 20’’s . If Apple failed, Mr. Wayne had more to lose at that time. He had tried to make slot machines, and that business failed. He met Steve Jobs at Atari. Some of you may already be familiar with the background of Apple. I did not. What I do know is some people may say Mr. Wayne made a big mistake, and how much wisdom did he really have? Let me read you this from the BBC article. He sounds so humble and a man who has lived in peace. I don’t know if he knows Jesus. I don’t want to be a stalker, but I might be able to find his house. The BBC article portrayed it as quite modest.
Here are the words he spoke in the interview:
"I would've wound up heading a very large documentation department at the back of the building, shuffling papers for the next 20 years of my life. That was not the future that I saw for myself.
"If money was the only thing that I wanted, there are many ways I could've done that. But it was much more important to do what appealed to me.
"My advice to young people is always this - find something you enjoy doing so much that you'd be willing to do it for nothing… and you'll never work a day in your life."
I think it is wise to mention that Steve Jobs died at the age of 56, and Mr. Wayne is 90 today.
I think it’s wise not to take a job just for the money, but to do a job you truly enjoy. I understand taking a job for the money to save enough, especially when trying to start a new career or pay off a large debt.
We finished the episodes on doubt, and if you listened to them, you would remember that I mentioned having wisdom as part of overcoming doubt. I also said I believed many of us lack wisdom. What should we do about it? Ask for it! God is so good. He tells us to ask if we lack wisdom.
In the book of Proverbs, you will find many verses relating to wisdom. Here are a few things about wisdom:
1. Fools despise it (Proverbs 1:7)
2. It gives life (Ecclesiastes 7:12)
3. The world wisdom is foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19)
4. You can ask God for it (James 1:5)
5. Gives understanding (Proverbs 4)
6. Brings Security (Proverbs 4)
7. Brings honor
8. Brings promotion
9. Keeps you from sexual immorality (Proverbs 5, 7)
10. Brings happiness (Proverbs 3:13)
Happy is the man or woman who finds wisdom and the man or woman who gets understanding
What is wisdom worth? Her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain is more than fine gold. It’s more precious than rubies, and all the things desired can not compare. (Proverbs 4)
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who retain her. So, we see Godly wisdom functions symbolically to replace what was lost in the Garden of Eden. Jesus Christ fulfilled wisdom's promise.
What is the beginning of Wisdom? How do we know we have it? The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord. We have a Prescription for Fear in the JesusRx Prescription for Life Workbook, which is available on Amazon or can be found at evapopek.com. Chapter 6 covers how we are to fear God and what healthy fear is. God is the god above all gods. He has shown us his work. Look at the earth and see the wonderous works He has made…that includes YOU!
Let me tell you what wisdom is like that comes from heaven. It is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Do you want that kind of wisdom? I think about situations I am in, and I ask myself if my actions are pure, if they are peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Sometimes, my actions don’t display heavenly wisdom. I think I am right “in my own eyes”. I then have to remember my health. I want to maintain my health, and part of that involves staying away from evil and fearing the Lord.
Psalm 3:7 and 8 sums it up very well: Let me end this episode with this:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.
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