Wisdom for Life

“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

Am I the only one who has no idea what to do sometimes? Almost daily I encounter situations that leave me feeling woefully inadequate, whether as a parent, a spouse, a pastor, a counselor… you name it. I need more and more wisdom from above. How about you?

I have often prayed the prayer recommended by Jesus’ half-brother James. Lord, please give me wisdom from above! And then… I still don’t know what to do. I'm certain the problem is neither James’ exhortation nor the Lord's response. Perhaps I am not asking in faith. Maybe I doubt too much. But if that’s the issue, how can any of us expect to find wisdom? Don’t we all struggle with doubts and weak faith from time to time? So how are we to understand what James is saying in this verse?

The word wisdom is so important in Scripture. It is used to describe the character of deacons (Acts 6:3), to magnify the nature of the Gospel (1 Cor. 1:20), to portray a young Jesus (Luke 2:39), and even to represent God (Luke 11:49). In the Old Testament it’s presented as a thing of supreme value which we should seek after at all costs (Prov. 4:5-7). Perhaps most significantly, it’s used to define Messiah’s character. In Isaiah’s prophecy he tells us the Spirit of the Lord — the Spirit of wisdom and understanding — will rest upon Him (Isa. 11:2). Jesus picks up on this idea when He self-identifies as wisdom personified (Matt. 12:42). All this to say, wisdom in the Bible is not just some ethereal idea; it’s a character trait. It’s not just having the right answers to difficult questions or situations; it’s viewing those questions or situations through the lens of the Gospel. It’s solving problems the way Jesus would solve them. In other words, wisdom is thinking like Christ.

What’s the takeaway? Put simply, when we pray for wisdom, we aren’t tapping into a heavenly cheat code that will help us solve the difficult riddles of life. We aren’t phoning a friend who knows more trivia than we do. We are asking God to make us more like our Savior, who is wisdom personified. We are seeking after that one thing of ultimate value: Christ Jesus Himself. We are asking, quite plainly, to be enabled by the Spirit (of wisdom!) to be more like Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So when you don’t know what to do — about a relationship, a job, a diagnosis, a parenting situation, whatever it might be — don’t ask God to magically reveal the answer to you. Rather, ask Him to make you more like Christ, so you can have wisdom for life, just like He did.

Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Associate Pastor