We live in a fast-paced culture, that believes if you are not going, going, going, they wonder what is wrong with you. Some people think you are lazy, not wanting to work, not with the times, or they literally will just scratch their heads, because you are going against the grain of culture. Wisdom is a person and this person is not bound by our culture, but rather represents the kingdom of God in the Word of God.
Wisdom teaches us how to increase, obtain favor, make good choices, live in peace and even be happy. Wisdom says, she is worth more than gold, silver, or even rubies, yet so few people find wisdom. But why? Why is wisdom so hard to locate, so difficult to ascertain? Why does wisdom seem to allude us as people? I believe it is because wisdom is living at a different speed than we are and if we do not adjust to her speed, we will never hear nor heed her voice.
Marriage is one of the greatest gifts God gave me, for it revealed me to me in the face of my husband, that I was impatient. Oh I did not like what I saw and many times did not want to see what I saw, but the Lord used him as a mirror for me to see me. One of the things I knew about me, was that I was impatient, impulsive, always in a hurry. I knew this, but did not realize the destruction this was causing to me or to those I was trying to serve, love and be a friend to. My husband, who is an extremely patient man, showed me the ways of wisdom in his patience and it changed my life forever.
Proverbs 8:34-35 says, “The one who listens to me (wisdom), who carefully seeks me in everyday things and delays action until my way is apparent, that one will find true happiness. For when he recognizes and follows me (wisdom), he finds a peaceful and satisfying life and receives favor from the Eternal” (VOICE).
There are three things we are required to do if we want to find wisdom: 1) Listen; 2) Seek; 3) Delay action until wisdom’s way is apparent. In a culture of unlimited noise, unlimited information and unlimited opportunities to buy something, do something or be something, wisdom is truly a counter-cultural experience, which is why so many people choose foolishness over wisdom.
Foolishness hears, but does not listen, it sees, but does not seek and it wants it now, and sees delay as denial or reason to make a decree. Many are living their lives as fools due to their inability to slow down and we are seeing the fruit of this in our relationships with God and others.
The ways of wisdom are listening, seeking and delaying. When we live with these as our highest values, we find favor with God and man, untold riches and relationships that are abundant. Now, let me warn you, this does not come easy, nor is it handed to you.
This pursuit of wisdom is hard work; it takes dedication and discipline. You have to want to be wise, to be one that pursues the ways of wisdom. The temptation to return to foolishness is at every turn, but if you put your hand to the plow and never look back; if you stay the course, I promise you will find wisdom and your life will never be the same again.
Yes, you will speak less and listen more, you will enjoy silence over noise, and you will not buy everything that you see, but you will hear people’s hearts and the voice of God, you will live in peace and quiet, and you will not be in debt to any man. The rewards of wisdom are truly better than gold, silver or rubies, for what we really long for is relationship with God and others. These are the ways of wisdom. {eoa}
Lisa Great is an author, speaker and blogger with Mouthpiece Ministries International. She has been in ministry for over 25 years, she has a B.A. in Youth and Family Studies, a M.A. in Education. She can be reached at mouthpieceministries.net,
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