I thank You, O God of Wisdom, that You’ve opened Your heart to me so I can build a life on the strong foundation of all that You know. The beginning of wisdom can be found in a reverent fear of You … not a trembling fear, but one that comes from respect for Your Power and Majesty. Your wisdom helps me solve my problems and shows me the way to Your promises. Your Word reminds me that there is no other foundation that I can build on than You. As I grow in Your wisdom, it will show itself in the form of a good reputation … earned through faithful service and a contrite heart. If I think I can increase in wisdom by simply reading Your Word, I am destined to fall short of my goal … because it is through thoughtful meditation and becoming open to the revelations of the Holy Spirit that I will come to know Your will and Your ways so I can successfully incorporate them in my life.
I believe You’ve shown me the keys to growing in “Godly Wisdom” through the seven pillars spoken of in the book of James (James 3:17). In the scripture, I am told … “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to entreat, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” In these words, You explain that I cannot claim to be wise when I act foolishly. True wisdom, You point out, is measured in the depth of my character. Just as one can identify a tree by its fruit, the depth of my wisdom can be evaluated by the way I act. You point out that foolishness leads to disorder, while wisdom leads to peace and contentment. Through careful speech and loving actions, I sow the seeds of peace and contentment. To walk in Your wisdom requires that I walk in Your ways … displaying Your character … motivated by unconditional love … and, filled with a desire to be like You.
As I think about the seven pillars which undergird “Godly Wisdom”, I understand the need for my motives to be pure and without hidden agendas or personal ambitions. To be peaceable, I must not use the things You teach me as clubs to beat people into submission. I must be considerate and submissive so that I can receive what You have to share in meekness and humility. To produce good fruit, I must adopt Your truths as my own without doctoring them. To be truly wise, I must live by Your truths and be willing to share them with others. In order to attain the goal of “Godly Wisdom”, I must allow myself to be wiped clean of what I think I know, along with my prejudices. I must re-build my life with a mantra of “What would Jesus do?” Therefore, “Godly Wisdom” is found in a reverent fear of the Lord and undergirding it with the seven pillars … such a life will never fail. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars.