I prayed to God a lot before addressing this subject. For I know that I am not very wise. The one thing that I can say is that all of the Wisdom that I have in life I give the glory to God for. In this study you will see that Wisdom is always calling out to us to receive from her. Wisdom can be taught to us, it can be poured out upon us. Wisdom gives advice and correction. We have to listen to receive Wisdom. The LORD grants Wisdom. Wisdom will enter our hearts. Wisdom will save you from evil people. Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman or man. Proverbs 3:7 says “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.” Happy is the person who finds Wisdom. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her. The wise inherit honor. Learn to be wise. Don’t turn your back on Wisdom, for she will protect you. Getting Wisdom is the most important thing that you can do! If you prize Wisdom she will exalt you. Love Wisdom like a sister. Wisdom calls out and everything she says is right and she speaks the truth and hates every kind of deception. Wisdoms words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn. Wisdom lives together with good judgment, she knows where to discover knowledge and discernment. Wisdom hates arrogance, corruption and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to Wisdom. Insight and strength belong to Wisdom. Wisdom loves all who love her. Those who search for Wisdom will surely find her. Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are hers to distribute. Wisdoms gifts are better than pure gold. Wisdom walks in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love Wisdom inherit wealth. Whoever finds Wisdom finds life and approval from the LORD. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise you will be the one to benefit from it!!!
Now that you can see that Wisdom has a lot to say and a lot of other benefits that go with becoming wise, I hope that you study this subject diligently and receive all that you can from Wisdom. I tell people the difference between wisdom and knowledge is that wisdom is the ability to make the right choice with all of the knowledge that we have received on the subject. What I mean, is that, there are all sorts of knowledgeable people out there on all sorts of subjects, but they do not necessarily apply what they know into their lives. Like the guy who continues to smoke even though he knows it is slowly killing him. Wisdom would say stop, but they refuse to listen. I hope that this study blesses you and that God grants you plenty of wisdom in your life so that you can reap the benefits that Wisdom can bring into your life. May God Bless You and remember the Fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom!!!!!!!!!
Wisdom: n. 1. the quality of being wise; good judgment, that comes from knowledge and experience in life [She had the wisdom to save money for her old age.] 2. learning; knowledge
Wise: adj. 1. having or showing good judgment [ a wise judge; a wise decision]. 2. having knowledge or information; informed; learned [I was no wiser after reading the article.]
Proverbs 1:1-7
These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just and fair. These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people.
Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.
Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline
Proverbs 1:20-33
Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls out to the crowds along the main street, and to those in front of city hall. “You simpletons!” she cries. “How long will you go on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools fight the facts? Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise.
“I called you so often, but you didn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you – when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you.
“I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen. For they are simpletons who turn away from me – to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them. But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm.”
Proverbs 2:1-22
My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.
Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt. These people turn from right ways to walk down dark and evil paths. They rejoice in doing wrong, and they enjoy evil as it turns things upside down. What they do is crooked, and their ways are wrong.
Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the adulterous woman. She has abandoned her husband and ignores the covenant she made before God. Entering he house leads to death; it is the road to hell. The man who visits her is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life.
Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous. For only the upright will live in the land, and those who have integrity will remain in it. But the wicked will be removed from the land, and the treacherous will be destroyed.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
Proverbs 3:13-19
Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By this knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain.
Proverbs 3:21-24
My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams.
Proverbs 3:35
The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!
Proverbs 4:5-9
Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don’t forget or turn away from my words. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.
Proverbs 4:10-13
My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won’t limp or stumble as you run. Carry out my instructions; don’t forsake them. Guard them, for they will lead you to a fulfilled life.
Proverbs 5:1-2
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will learn to be discreet and will store up knowledge.
Proverbs 6:6-8
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.
Proverbs 7:4-5
Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. Let them hold you back from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of an adulterous woman.
Proverbs 8:1-11
Listen as wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! She stands on the hilltop and at the crossroads. At the entrance to the city, at the city gates, she cries aloud, “I call to you, to all of you! I am raising my voice to all people. How naïve you are! Let me give you common sense. O foolish ones, let me give you understanding. Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn.
“Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it.
Proverbs 8:12-36
“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.
“I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better than the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill their treasuries.
“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. Before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born – before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.
“I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established the deep fountains of the earth. I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with what he created – his wide world and all the human family!
“And so, my children, listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the LORD. But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. “Come home with me,” she urges the simple. To those without good judgment, she says, “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise.”
Proverbs 9:8-9
So don’t bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more.
Proverbs 9:10-12
Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.
Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
Proverbs 10:1
A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
Proverbs 10:5
A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame.
Proverbs 10:8
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
Proverbs 10:13
Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but fools will be punished with a rod.
Proverbs 10:14
Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites trouble.
Proverbs 10:19
Don’t talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!
Proverbs 10:23
Doing wrong is fun for a fool, while wise conduct is a pleasure to the wise.
Proverbs 10:31-32
The godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The godly speak words that are helpful, but the wicked speak only what is corrupt.
Proverbs 11:2
Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:12
It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.
Proverbs 11:30
The godly are like trees that bear life-giving fruit, and those who save lives are wise.
Proverbs 12:8
Everyone admires a person with good sense, but a warped mind is despised.
Proverbs 12:15
Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.
Proverbs 12:18
Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.
Proverbs 13:1
A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a young mocker refuses to listen.
Proverbs 13:14
The advice of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
Proverbs 13:16
Wise people think before they act; fools don’t and even brag about it!
Proverbs 13:20
Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 14:1
A wise woman builds her house; a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands.
Proverbs 14:3
The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the words of the wise keep them out of trouble.
Proverbs 14:6
A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.
Proverbs 14:8
The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves.
Proverbs 14:16
The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with great confidence.
Proverbs 14:24
Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only folly.
Proverbs 14:33
Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart; wisdom is not found among fools.
Proverbs 14:35
A king rejoices in servants who know what they are doing; he is angry with those who cause trouble.
Proverbs 15:2
The wise person makes learning a joy; fools spout only foolishness.
Proverbs 15:7
Only the wise can give good advice; fools cannot do so.
Proverbs 15:12
Mockers don’t love those who rebuke them, so they stay away from the wise.
Proverbs 15:20
Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother.
Proverbs 15:21
Foolishness brings joy to those who have no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.
Proverbs 15:24
The path of the wise leads to life above; they leave the grave behind.
Proverbs 15:31
If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
Proverbs 15:33
Fear of the LORD teaches a person to be wise; humility precedes honor.
Proverbs 16:14
The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise do what they can to appease it.
Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and understanding than silver!
Proverbs 16:20
Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be happy.
Proverbs 16:21
The wise are known for their understanding, and instruction is appreciated if it’s well presented.
Proverbs 16:23
From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.
Proverbs 17:2
A wise slave will rule over the master’s shameful sons and will share their inheritance.
Proverbs 17:10
A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
Proverbs 17:24
Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 17:28
Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Proverbs 18:4
A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a babbling brook.
Proverbs 18:15
Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.
Proverbs 19:8
To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
Proverbs 19:20
Get all the advice and instruction you can, and be wise the rest of your life.
Proverbs 20:1
Wine produces mockers; liquor leads to brawls. Whoever is led astray by drink cannot be wise.
Proverbs 20:26
A wise king finds the wicked, lays them out like wheat, then runs the crushing wheel over them.
Proverbs 21:11
A simpleton can learn only by seeing mockers punished; a wise person learns from instruction.
Proverbs 21:20
The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.
Proverbs 21:22
The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust.
Proverbs 21:30
Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the LORD.
Proverbs 22:17-29
Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings deep within yourself, always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today – yes, you – so you will trust in the LORD. I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. In this way, you may know the truth and bring an accurate report to those who sent you.
Do not rob the poor because they are poor or exploit the needy in court. For the LORD is their defender. He will injure anyone who injures them.
Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
Do not co-sign another person’s note or put up a guarantee for someone else’s loan. If you can’t pay it, even you bed will be snatched from under you.
Do not steal your neighbor’s property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors.
Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than ordinary people.
Proverbs 23:15-28
My child, how I will rejoice if you become wise. Yes, my heart will thrill when you speak what is right and just.
Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD. For surely you have a future ahead of you; your hope will not be disappointed.
My child, listen and be wise. Keep your heart on the right course. Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty. Too much sleep clothes a person with rags.
Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother’s experience when she is old. Get the truth and don’t ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure it is to have wise children. So give your parents joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.
O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes delight in my ways of wisdom. A prostitute is a deep pit; an adulterous woman is treacherous. She hides and waits like a robber, looking for another victim who will be unfaithful to his wife.
Proverbs 24:3
A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.
Proverbs 24:5-6
A wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge is more powerful than a strong man. So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many counselors.
Proverbs 24:7
Wisdom is too much for a fool. When the leaders gather, the fool has nothing to say.
Proverbs 24:13-14
My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.
Proverbs 24:23-34
Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. But blessings are showered on those who convict the guilty.
It is an honor to receive an honest reply.
Develop your business first before building your house.
Do not testify spitefully against innocent neighbors; don’t lie about them. And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for all their meanness to me! I’ll get even!”
I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
Proverbs 25:12
Valid criticism is as treasured by the one who heeds it as jewelry made from finest gold.
Proverbs 26:16
Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors.
Proverbs 27:11
My child, how happy I will be if you turn out to be wise! Then I will be able to answer my critics.
Proverbs 28:7
Young people who obey the law are wise; those who seek out worthless companions bring shame to their parents.
Proverbs 28:26
Trusting oneself is foolish, but those who walk in wisdom are safe.
Proverbs 29:3
The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
Proverbs 29:8
Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but those who are wise will calm anger.
Proverbs 29:9
If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 29:15
To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
Proverbs 30:24-28
There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
Ants – they aren’t strong, but they store up food for the winter.
Rock badgers – they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocky cliffs.
Locusts – they have no king, but they march like an army in ranks.
Lizards – they are easy to catch, but they are found even in king’s palaces.
James 1:5-8
If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will no resent you asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.
James 3:13-18
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don’t brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.
Ephesians 1:6-8
So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 3:10-11
God’s purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church. This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough.
Considering this, do wise people really have any advantage over fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 7:4
A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.
Ecclesiastes 7:5
It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool!
Ecclesiastes 7:7
Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
Being wise is as good as being rich; in fact, it is better. Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it’s important to know that only wisdom can save your life.
Ecclesiastes 7:13
Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?
Ecclesiastes 7:19
A wise person is stronger than the ten leading citizens of a town!
Ecclesiastes 7:23-26
All along I have tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t really work. Wisdom is always distant and very difficult to find. I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.
I discovered that a seductive woman is more bitter than death. Her passion is a trap, and her soft hands will bind you. Those who please God will escape from her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.
Ecclesiastes 8:1
How wonderful to be wise, to be able to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its hardness.
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16
I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy human wisdom
and discard their most brilliant ideas.”
So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. God’s way seems foolish to the Jews because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.
This “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom. As the Scripture say,
“The person who wishes to boast
should boast only of what the Lord has done.”
Dear brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I didn’t use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God’s message. For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. I came to you in weakness – timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you. I did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human wisdom.
Yet when I am among mature Christians, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to the world, and not the kind that appeals to the rulers of this world, who are being brought to nothing. No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God’s deep secrets. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world’s spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t Christians can’t understand these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can’t understand us at all. How could they? For,
“Who can know what the Lord is thinking?
Who can give him counsel?”
But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God’s standards. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,
“God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness.”
And again,
“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless.”
Job 37:14-24 Side note: This passage is spoken by Elihu. (One of Job’s friends)
“Listen, Job; stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God! Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash forth from his clouds? Do you understand how he balances the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, he makes the skies reflect the heat like a giant mirror. Can you do that?
“You think you know so much, so teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments. Should God be told that I want to speak? Can we speak when we are confused? We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds. Golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor. We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty, yet he is so just and merciful that he does not oppress us. No wonder people everywhere fear him. People who are truly wise show him reverence.”
Isaiah 5:21
Destruction is certain for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever.
Psalm 107:1-43
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has saved you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in the desert, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, miserable prisoners in chains. They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High. That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one helped them rise again. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.
Some were fools in their rebellion; they suffered for their sins. Their appetites were gone, and death was near. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He spoke, and they were healed – snatched from the door of death. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.
Some went off in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. They, too, observed the LORD’s power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. Their ships were tossed to the heavens and sank again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.
He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry land. He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there. But he also turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into flowing springs. He brings the hungry to settle there and build their cities. They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops. How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of cattle increase. When they decrease in number and become impoverished through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, the LORD pours contempt on their princes, causing them to wander in trackless wastelands. But he rescues the poor from their distress and increases their families like vast flocks of sheep. The godly will see these things and be glad, while the wicked are stricken silent. Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being at the right place at the right time.
Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. There was a small town with only a few people living in it, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. There was a poor, wise man living there who knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought any more about him. Then I realized that though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long. But even so, the quiet words of a wise person are better than the shouts of a foolish king. A wise person can overcome weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
Ecclesiastes 10:1
Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor.
Ecclesiastes 10:2
The hearts of the wise lead them to do right, and the hearts of the foolish lead them to do evil.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
Ecclesiastes 10:12
It is pleasant to listen to wise words, but the speech of fools brings them to ruin.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
Because the Teacher was wise, he taught the people everything he knew. He collected proverbs and classified them. Indeed, the Teacher taught the plain truth, and he did so in an interesting way.
A wise teacher’s words spur students to action and emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of the wise are like guidance from a shepherd.
But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed.
Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting!
Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
1 Kings 3:1-28
Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city. At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local altars, for a temple honoring the name of the LORD had not yet been built.
Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the instructions of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local altars. The most important of these altars was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings. That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Solomon replied, “You were wonderfully kind to my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him. O LORD my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count! Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?”
The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies – I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and honor! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”
Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.
Some time later, two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house, I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later, she also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house. But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”
Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.”
“No,” the first woman said, “the dead one is yours, and the living one is mine.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.
Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead child belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king. Then he said, “Cut the living child in two and give half to each of these women!”
Then the woman who really was the mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!
But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”
Then the king said, “Do not kill him, but give the baby to the woman who wants him to live, for she is the mother!”
Word of the king’s decision spread quickly throughout all Israel, and the people were awed as they realized the great wisdom God had given him to render decisions with justice.
Job 28:1-28
“People know how to mine silver and refine gold. They know how to dig iron from the earth and smelt copper from stone. They know how to put light into darkness and explore the farthest, darkest regions of the earth as they search for ore. They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth. Bread comes from the earth, but below the surface the earth is melted as by fire.
“People know how to find sapphires and gold dust – treasures that no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe – for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains. They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones. They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.
“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. ‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.
“It cannot be bought for gold or silver. Its value is greater than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx stone or sapphires. Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral and valuable rock crystal are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above pearls. Topaz from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. Its value is greater than the purest gold.
“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? For it is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of where wisdom can be found.’
“God surely knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.”