by Sharman J. Monroe
When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
Proverbs 2: 10-11 (NJKV)
What is wisdom? According to the dictionary, wisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.[1] Where does wisdom come from? Many say it comes from education and experience with a touch of gut feeling. But how much wisdom can we really have when we only possess finite information? We don’t know what will happen in the next hour and we don’t know all the consequences of our decisions.
We, however, have a connection, a direct connection, with someone who has infinite information – God. The Word teaches that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-present (Psalms 139:1-16). No one can compete with God’s level of wisdom, which is perfect wisdom. The best part is God is more than willing to share His wisdom with us. All we have to do is ask (James 1:5). And when we ask, boy, does He deliver!
Have you ever had that “something told me” feeling? You know, “something told me” not to drive my regular route home and you find out later that the route was blocked all day by emergency vehicles. Or “something told me” not to trust that Person A and you later find out Person A is a thief and liar. Or “something told me” to take that part-time low-level position and, within one month, you are promoted to the full-time position you wanted with higher pay and benefits. As my pastor likes to say, “That’s not ‘a something’! It’s the Holy Spirit!” giving you discretion to preserve you and understanding to keep you.