What comes to your mind when you hear these names? - King Solomon, Socrates, Plato, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, Confucius.
Most people would know them as great thinkers, philosophers, authors or scientists. The intellectuals of our world who some might call “wise” or “filled with wisdom”.
“Wisdom” in today’s world often refers to qualities such as having experience, knowledge, understanding, good judgment and insights. In fact, we may not need to reach very far back in history to think of people we feel are wise. They may exist in the church, in authorities, in our families or among our colleagues, classmates or friends.
However, no matter how wise we feel someone may be, let us not forget that their wisdom is dwarfed by the One who created the heavens and the earth and all things therein – our Lord God.
Revelation 1:8 states: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Psalm 147:5 states: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.”
With this in mind, it becomes evident that the wisdom of the world cannot be compared to God’s wisdom.
1 Cor 3:19-20 reads: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
The lesson for us here is that we should not place too much trust in the wisdom of mankind, but rely on God’s wisdom and power which can be understood from the scriptures.
Man’s wisdom extends to many topics we can read about nowadays, ranging from how to raise children to having positive family relationships. Or how to have fulfilling careers, what to eat and drink, how to live a happy life, and much more. We tend to consume such information voraciously, but we may sometimes forget that the Bible has already laid out all the precepts and principles we need to navigate life on earth. We need to trust God’s wisdom more than man’s.
Man’s wisdom may treat marriage as a paper exercise which can be easily put aside if differences arise in finances, parenting styles, lifestyle choices and so on. Some celebrities go on to remarry more than six or seven times. God’s wisdom tells you that marriage is for life, and not to be treated lightly.
1 Cor 7:10-11 reads: “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”
Man’s wisdom will tell you to only focus on improving yourself so that you can be better than others. God’s wisdom instructs Christians to esteem others more than themselves, and to care about others too.
Philippians 2:3-4 reads: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Man’s wisdom may tell you that it is a far-fetched idea to believe the teachings of a man who lived more than 2,000 years ago, who claimed to be God in the flesh, and who died on the cross for our sakes. God’s wisdom tells you that this plan of salvation was already set from the beginning and that all men are called to salvation through Christ’s blood shed on the cross.
John 1:1 states “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14 states: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
1 Cor 1:18 states “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
Brethren, let us constantly remind ourselves about the power and wisdom of God, and not to trust in the wisdom of man. Let our thoughts and conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, as we continue striving together for the faith of the gospel.