It’s Good to Know
If any of you lack wisdom, let them ask of God, Who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it shall be given.
James 1:5
Autopsy of Those Lacking Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs tells us many wonderful things about wisdom and the amazing benefits it provides to those who listen and apply it. The Book of Proverbs also tells about those who reject wisdom and their outcome in life. If you were to conduct an autopsy of a fool, you would find that they did not regard the things that were important but spent their lifetime chasing things of pleasure.
Proverbs 5:3-5, tells of the fools who fall into the trap of the strange woman who captures her victims with smooth words … but her end is bitter as wormwood and cuts like a two-edged sword … her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. The autopsy of another fool revealed that they rejected the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7. That foolish person ran with the crowd that waited for blood and that cast in their lot with those that looked for greedy gain … it ended with the grave and led down to the pit, according to Proverbs 1:11-12. The most troubling autopsy discovery is that every fool died for a lack of knowledge. Each one rejected wise counsel. The outcome of everyone that lived the foolish life is that they did not turn their attention to the One Who could have kept them from destruction. The foolish think they know and refuse to reach the point where they ask for help. Such is the life of all that reject wisdom.
That need not be the case for the Christian, but tragically, many who believe also fall into the same foolish life practices as the world. For that reason, James 1:5 applies to believers. Let me paraphrase that verse, “If you know you need wisdom, you had better ask God and He will give you what you need.” That lack of wisdom and need for knowledge should not be the case for any person that pays attention. It should not be the case for those who believe in Jesus. But sadly, many Christians fall into the same dire need as worldly people who need God’s Wisdom but have not asked the Lord. The good news is that God’s Wisdom is and will always be available for anyone who will ask.
Wisdom is not hidden behind closed door, nor is it sealed in a vault for only a select few to discover. Proverbs 8 tells us that wisdom cries out in the streets and stands at the top of high places … Wisdom stands at the gates and the entry to every city. You can find wisdom on the street corner. You can find wisdom under every tree. You can find wisdom when you lie down and when you wake up. It all boils down to this one strong point: If you want wisdom, you must ask God for it.
It cannot be any simpler than the invitation given by the Apostle James. If any of you lack wisdom, let them ask of God, Who gives to all generously and without finding fault, and it shall be given. In this verse, there is a telling statement that those who ask for wisdom will ask after the fact. Notice it says, “if you lack wisdom.” Isn’t that an admission of reaching a place where wisdom was not asked for in advance? As a result of facing difficulty or opposition, you must admit that wisdom is lacking. The goal is to ask before the loss take place.
Here is the good news from God’s Word. You don’t have to wait until something tragic occurs in order to be a candidate for God’s Wisdom. You can ask The Father and He will pour His rich Wisdom into your life. Things don’t have to die before you are qualified to receive Wisdom. Don’t wait for your finances to be in ruins. Do not wait for your business to fail. Our society has taught us to fix stuff after it breaks. This leads to loss, frustration, and even death. What if something could have been done? What if a conversation had taken place to bring Wisdom into your life? The outcome would have been so different.
Late Requests for Wisdom
There are several reasons why we ask for wisdom after the fact. Ignorance is at the top of list. So often, we don’t know what we need until we get to the place of need. Yet this is our own fault. When Jesus instructed us to pray for daily bread, He was warning us that there will be things in your day that would require God’s provision. One of those needed things is wisdom. Our lack of wisdom in preparation is due to the fact that we don’t know the Wealth of Wisdom. While many chase after monetary goals, goals of gaining influence and power, or goals to achieve personal greatness, they don’t know that Wisdom has everything we need. God’s Wisdom should be the most sought-after resource in the universe. As the credit card commercial said, “don’t leave home without it.”
In Proverbs 8:10-32, Wisdom gave a personal testimony of who it was, what it could do, and presented a resume of its past performance. Wisdom said, Receive my instructions and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogancy, and every evil way…
Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding; I have strength
By me (Wisdom), kings reign and princes decree justice … by me princes rule …
I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me…
Riches and honor are with me; yes durable riches and righteousness …
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; and my revenue is better than silver.
Verse 22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. The point is clear; Wisdom is a most valuable treasure for anyone and yet we don’t even recognize that we need it until it is too late. Wisdom can do so much for those who would simply seek for it in advance. Yet we wait and then discover that we lack it. How tragic!
There is another reason for making a late request for wisdom. Many will lean upon their own understanding. That comes from adopting the old adage that experience is the best teacher. I’m not sure where the saying came from, but I consider it one of the greatest lies of all times. Here are the reasons. First, many experiences usually ended in failure and if given another chance we would probably fail again. Second, we can’t always remember what we experience. Our minds are so fickled and forgetful that our recollection of experiences will always be skewed and filled with flaws. Third, if we repeat our experiences, this hinders progress and exploration of new things. Lastly, God does not want us to learn from our experiences but to learn from Him. Jesus gives an extraordinary invitation if Matthew 11:28-30. Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My Yoke upon You and learn from Me … for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. If experience was the best teacher, why does Jesus invite us to come to Him? Simply put experience is a very poor teacher for the simple reason that if followed, we would keep repeating our same mistakes.
The third and most fatal reason for not asking for wisdom is a mindset that rejects the knowledge of God. The Bible says that fools reject knowledge. To that end, Paul speaks of the reprobate mind in Romans 1:21, 28. When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened … they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind … Once the mind has been turned to the state of being reprobate, the knowledge just does not sink in. The mind of that person becomes corrupt and depraved where it harbors all kinds of sin.
In summary, there are those who lack wisdom due to ignorance and as a result they wait until the problem has escalated before they make the call to God. Then, there are those who lack wisdom because of their dependence on experience. When all else fails, then they make the delayed call for God to give them wisdom. Lastly, there are those who reject God’s wisdom altogether and suffer the tragedy of losing everything. In all cases the tragic outcomes of lacking wisdom could have been avoided.
Wisdom Warnings
I close with these Wisdom Warnings to emphasize that I close with these Wisdom Warnings to emphasize that it is not wise to wait until after a significant event occurs to ask for God’s Wisdom. The first wisdom warning is to remind yourself that you don’t know everything. You are finite, you are limited, and you are human. The second wisdom warning tells you to get help because you will need it. A person who needs no help has deceived themselves into believing that they are the masters of their own fate. The third wisdom warning reminds you to make the best of your time because you don’t have time to waste. The fourth wisdom warning tells you to never look down on anyone because you might one day be lower than them. The final wisdom warning for today, Get God’s Wisdom because it is the best treasure you will ever find.