Wisdom and Humility

Ask for Wisdom

What is wisdom?

Wisdom isn’t necessarily intelligence, it’s not just knowing a lot of facts.

Wisdom is traditionally defined as “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.”

We, as Americans, take wisdom as the quality of being able to make smart decisions.

So, a wise person is someone who is rich, someone who’s had a lot of experiences and it able to choose the right path.

The Bible, however, says something different.

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

So, it would seem that a knowledge and reverence for God is what the beginning of wisdom is.

Wisdom is the ability to choose what is good, right, and true in God’s eyes.

Therefore, it can only be given by God!

You can’t grow in wisdom by yourself if it’s knowing what God wants, you can’t force it, but God can give it to you!

Ask God for wisdom, and He has now actual reason to not give it to you!

You’re not going to go from Po to Oogway overnight, but God grows people who want to grow.

Don’t Doubt

This one is easier said than done.

“Don’t doubt” is so difficult to do.

We’re not saying never have a healthy human doubt.

Doubt is a reasonable thing for you to feel.

Story of Grandfather in the hospital

I didn’t just have no problems with the thought that my grandfather was going to a major surgery. I, in the midst of walking through this, had moments of asking God why He would do this

But then, I was reminded of all of the good that He’d done, and that He is the ruler of creation, and that death, even death, isn’t permanent because of God.

I dealt with doubt, but that doubt brought me to greater faith.

The type of doubt that James is talking about is the same word as wavering. It’s not being solid in anything.

“Maybe God could do this, maybe He can’t”

“Maybe God will get me through this, maybe he won’t”

This doubt is the doubt that comes from someone who goes to church or to youth group every week and pretends to be a Christian, but deep down you know that you don’t have the love of God in your heart.

Don’t doubt! Lean into God!

If you want to talk to someone about doubt, I would love to talk to you about that.

Be Humble

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. - C.S. Lewis

What this means is that you aren’t to focus on your own situation, you’re supposed to be thinking of others.

James uses this in terms of the wealthy and the poor, but it works for everything.

When you’re poor, don’t focus on the lack of funds in your account, focus on the love of God that He would care for you even though you could give nothing.

When you’re rich, don’t focus on how you can get things, understand that your wealth is going to die and turn to nothing, but the love of Christ is eternal.

Whether it’s friends, stuff, talents, anything; don’t focus on what you do or don’t have, focus on how everything you have is given to God, and so figure out what to do with it!

When you put the focus on yourself, you get hyperfocused on your experience When you open up your viewpoint to include God, you realize that we’re all spiritually poor, and every single one of us needs God to make us right.

Questions.

Would you rather live in the arctic or the desert? Why?

What does wisdom mean?

Read v. 6. How can you fight against doubt?

What do you struggle with more, humility or doubt? How can you grow in those?