Shortly after he was made king of Israel, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and invited him to ask for anything He desired (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon asked for wisdom. He wanted to be a wise king who dealt justly with his citizens. God was pleased with Solomon’s request and granted it (1 Kings 3:6-14).
How much do you value wisdom? Do you understand the importance of pursuing wisdom in your life?
Why should we pursue wisdom?
- The Bible repeatedly tells us to pursue wisdom (Proverbs 4:5-7). We can’t ever acquire too much wisdom. Wisdom is something that we need to possess in abundance!
- It will help us make good decisions. Wisdom helped Solomon make good judgments as king (1 Kings 3:16-28). It will help us make good decisions as husbands, wives, parents, brethren, workers, and money managers.
- It will help us properly discern (1 Kings 3:9; Proverbs 1:1-2). Discernment means “judgment.” When we have good discernment, we have good judgment. We can see the consequences of decisions ahead of time. Unfortunately, many families and local churches are torn apart because they are full of people with poor discernment. They major in minors and fail to consider the consequences of their decisions in advance.
- It will help acknowledge God (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom and fear are critical components to knowing God. The word “fear” is tied to reverence. We must revere and have piety towards God. It takes humility to fear God. The wise recognize just how little they know compared to the One who created all things and knows everything.
- It will help us avoid being deceived by the world. The wisdom of God exposes the foolishness of the world. It exposes the folly of being immoral, drinking, laziness, and loving money (Proverbs 18:22; 23:4-5, 29-35; 24:30-34).
How do we pursue wisdom?
- We must get our minds in God’s word (Psalm 119:9-11, 24, 97-104). The Scriptures come from the mind of God. They contain God’s wisdom. This is why things like daily Bible reading, Bible study, and listening carefully to preaching are so important!
- We must ask for it through prayer (James 1:5). God promises to give us wisdom when we ask for it. God doesn’t make this same promise when it comes to many of the other prayer requests.
- We must seek counsel from wise people (Proverbs 11:14; 13:20; 15:31). When we are around wise people and ask for their advice, we can become wise. The wise are godly. They have a lot of life experience and Bible knowledge.
- We must be observant. The ant teaches us the value of preparation and diligence (Proverbs 6:16-18). Funerals remind us of the need to prepare for death (Ecclesiastes 7:2). The birds, flowers, and grass remind us of God’s love, care, and willingness to give us necessary things.
- We must look to Jesus (Matthew 76:25-30). Jesus is the source from where all wisdom flows. When we listen to and obey Jesus, we will be wise and pleasing to God.
Conclusion:
Serving the Lord is the wisest choice we could ever make!