Walking in Wisdom

Walking in Wisdom

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

            Across our nation and across the planet, Christians are praying for governmental leaders to walk in wisdom, for heads of state to govern in wisdom and for God to rain down wisdom upon us. We cry out, plead and yearn for wisdom to surround, to guide and to direct the decisions made by administrations.  Little have we realized the source of and pathway to wisdom.  We repeat Proverbs 1:7, yet pay little attention to it in our lives as believers. Forgetting that the scriptures are a handbook for Christians, we often stand in judgment of others rather than in examination our own lives. 

Verse 1:7 is the theme of the book of Proverbs: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV). 

“The fear of the Lord” does not mean that we should be afraid of our God who has told us numerous times in His word that we are not to be afraid.  In Hebrew, the word that has been translated as “fear” means to have a moral reverence for.  It means that we understand and accept that the moral truths of God (not necessarily the moral truths as interpreted by man) are the standards for leading us into the love, truth, peace and joy of our Lord.  When we compromise God’s moral principles, we compromise wisdom.  Many Christians have become foolish in turning aside from holy principles (principles that will lead to health and happiness in our lives).

It is that moral reverence for the Lord that is the beginning, or foundation, of wisdom.  That foundation resides in us because the Holy Spirit of God resides in us.  When we Christians turn away from the morality of God, we actually quench the power of the Holy Spirit In our lives.  In I Thessalonians 5:19 (NKJV), Paul spoke to the church saying, “Do not quench the Spirit.” 

From moral reverence for who God is comes knowledge of the Holy One and understanding that gives insight into life. 

Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV) repeats the theme: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  In this verse, the word translated “beginning” means a perquisite. In other words, we cannot have wisdom without a moral reverence (fear) of the Lord.  Therefore, wisdom must first emanate from the heart of believers, radiate out into the world, and bring glory to the Kingdom of God.

Before we pray for wisdom for our leaders, we must first seek wisdom in our own lives and speak that wisdom into the world.  We must keep in mind that God does not dwell in the problems; He dwells in the solutions.  Wisdom has a positive outlook.  Wisdom has a heart of gratitude.  Wisdom trusts in the provision and protection of God. 

Jesus spoke to believers when He said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV).

Wisdom allows our light to shine and bring glory to our Father in heaven.