Wisdom and Our Speech

Faith works. So does wisdom.

Just as works reveal faith, so they reveal wisdom. We can no more manifest wisdom without works than we can manifest faith without works. Talk is cheap; life is real. What do your works herald about your faith and wisdom?

Pure. Speech. Company. Interests. Motives. Thoughts. Focus. The purity of all these leave your wisdom utterly exposed. Wisdom is absolutely pure in its relationship to people, to the world system and to the stuff of this present age.

Peaceable. Wisdom loves peace. Wisdom avidly pursues peace. Wisdom promotes peace. Wisdom sacrifices for peace. If wisdom and foolishness kept score on your interpersonal relationships today, what would be the score? And in whose favor?

Gentle. Wisdom is tough. Wisdom can take it. Wisdom is strong. Therefore, wisdom is patient, kind, forbearing and moderate (Philippians 4:5). You see, wisdom is gentle.

Easy to be entreated. No aloofness here! People don't fear the wise. Nor do they fear confronting and reproving the wise. Because wisdom never feels like it has arrived; it knows it stands to learn from everyone. Wisdom is humble and approachable. Happily so.

Full of mercy and good fruits. Wisdom shuns a judgmental spirit, but recognizes good fruit. Wisdom's mercy and own good fruits of the Spirit readily reproduce in the lives it influences. The wise man does not find it difficult to see his own potential self in the lives and shortcomings of others. And responds with godly mercy.

Without partiality. Wisdom carries no ruler or scales to determine the worth of others. The wise person cannot be uneven-handed, except in his dealings with himself. He "loses" every time! Wisdom places others in more value (Philippians 2:3).

Without hypocrisy. Pretense and wisdom cannot and do not co- exist. These mutual rivals vigorously exclude each other. Wisdom hates hypocrisy because it denies the reality of the omniscient God.

Sowing righteousness. Because it is peaceable, wisdom's purity is a hardy seed that withstands all attacks.

So all of that isn't you. Me neither. Where shall we find wisdom? How shall we grow in wisdom?

Ask of God. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally" (James 1:5). "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

Absorb (ie, live) God's Word. "Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies.... I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:98-100).

Walk with the wise. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise" (Proverbs 13:20). "Walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous" (Proverbs 2:20). "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:63).

Live in the fear of God. "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding" (Proverbs 9:6).

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