A daily thought ~ proving wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
James 3:13 ESV

How can you prove whether or not someone has wisdom? That is the million dollar question. How do you prove that someone has wisdom?

Well, it is very hard, nay, almost impossible to prove using standard methods. All the tests in the world can not prove whether someone is wise or not. Yes they can show you many things such as how much knowledge a person has, how much experience a person has in different scenarios, it can even perhaps predict how well a person may respond in any given situation. But what they can not tell you, is a person wise? Does that person have the ability to consistently make wise choices in a variety of situations? While knowledge, experience, expected outcomes are all great and can be helpful tools, they make a poor substitute for wisdom and the ability it brings in dealing with life not just situations.

So why is wisdom so hard to pin down? Surely such a vital character trait would be the centre of all personal development courses, studies and the likes? You would expect a wealth of definable tests, studies and general information to be readily available. So why is this not the case?

I believe this is due to the fact wisdom is not a human skill, rather it is a gift from God. Look at King Solomon, he was granted supernatural wisdom to rule Israel well, but when he dwelled on it and forgot that it was God’s gift, it ruin and destruction. Or else, look at the Proverbs, the pursuit of wisdom as if digging for fine jewels.

Widsom is something to be pursued not simply learned and defined. Its important to note that I’m not saying only Jews/Christians can be wise or that other people are unable to utilise wisdom, this is clearly untrue if you study history! But rather it is a gift which is to be sought, it is a treasure worth pursuing. God is willing to let is rain on the just and the unjust, the Jew and the gentile, but the individual must seek it. It is not a skill like knowledge to be learned nor is it like experience which can simply be gained, rather wisdom is the prize which will never be fully realised in this life time but is a beautiful and worthwhile ambition to pursue.

As Christians we are called to be wise, our lives are to be characterised by it. The only way to prove whether or not someone has wisdom is by their life. The way you and me live is the greatest indicator of our wisdom. A wise person is meek, humble, yet full of good works and understanding. May we seek this all the days of our lives.

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