I do not possess a great deal of knowledge. I suppose I am still “young & dumb”. I’ve always wondered at what age one earns the “old & wise” badge.
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
I am learning & growing with each passing day, though. Or at least I try to.
I learn more about history, the Bible, the world.
But I am certainly not as wise as someone who is older than me.
There is, indeed, a wisdom & growth that only comes with age & experience.
But there is a different wisdom I desire.
Not the wisdom found in books or schooling, experience, age, time, or whatever other wisdom the world has to offer.
No, truly I don’t desire that.
I seek after a greater wisdom.
A wisdom that only God himself can give.
It’s not a wisdom gained by church attendance, sermon listening, bible study, or seminary (though many Christians think so).
It is a wisdom that is a gift, given by God himself through faith.
All you have to do is ask.
& believe.
Not to say He can’t use things like church attendance, sermon listening, bible study or seminary.
But I believe those things alone can’t get you this spiritual wisdom I’m speaking of.
The pharisees knew the Torah (Old Testament Bible) better than most & studied it their whole lives & they missed the Messiah!?
Just because you know scripture doesn’t mean you are spiritually wise.
So, when I say, “I have so much more to learn”, I acknowledge that it isn’t any learning I can achieve on my own.
I believe it comes by humbling ourselves, asking God for heavenly wisdom, denying the flesh, taking up our cross & believing!
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,j who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.k 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,l because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6
Spiritual wisdom is different.
It sometimes goes against worldly “logic”
It sometimes doesn’t make earthly “sense”.
We must believe & acknowledge that His Holy Spirit inside of us will guide us in spiritual wisdom & tame our tongues daily. & when it doesn’t make sense to us, we let go & trust that it makes sense to Him & that is all that matters.
& when the world looks at us weird & tells us that we have no sense….
let us act confidently in spiritual sense & speak with a tamed tongue, given to us by God Almighty Himself alone. & they will know that we are different & they will see Him in us & encounter Him when they encounter us.
4 take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 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. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:4-18
Dad, tame my tongue today & lead me in Your perfect wisdom, truth, & peace. Send me & give me the courage to go. Touch every word that comes out of my mouth even if it makes no sense to me, use every word for Your good & glory. Help me to understand You more & mature me spiritually to be more like You. Give me heavenly wisdom so I can know Your heart & be an accurate representation of You.
In Jesus name, Amen!
