Signs of the Wise
Wisdom is defined as the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
Who would you guys consider a wise person? List a few:
Why do you consider these people wise?
Is it possible to be wise without being a scholar or having a whole lot of book knowledge?
Can a young person be wise? Joseph was only 30 when he was made 2nd in command in Egypt. That is the minimum age someone can be in order to be an American president. At that time, 30 year olds were not considered old enough to be very wise and mature. Joseph, however was made ruler over all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.
Wisdom has more to do with applying the knowledge and experience that you DO have already. It's not necessarily an accumulation of book smarts. There are many educated individuals that are not wise.
Do you know of anybody (celebrity or not) who is very educated but not very wise or who doesn't have any common sense?
In today’s study we’ll see that Joseph’s convictions had stood the test of time, producing a life of obedience. Now the tests were completed and Joseph was ready to be what God wanted him to ultimately be! Joseph was well taught by his father and the budding people group that would one day become the nation of Israel. He was not just some dumb shepherd boy that was then dragged to Egypt and educated there. He was able to shine at Potiphar's house because he took the knowledge he had and (with the blessing of God) applied it to his duties and impressed everyone around him. Joseph is the only Biblical character that I know of whose mistakes and/or failures are not mentioned. Think about it…Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul…all of them are described as fallen, sinful men and each one has at least one account of their failure or sin. (explain some of each person's short-comings) Read through the life of Joseph. There is no account of him doing anything wrong (that's not to say that he was sinless, but God obviously didn't see it fit to record his short-comings via inspiration through the author of Genesis. If we can learn the signs of wisdom from anyone, Joseph is a good example to use.
Joseph didn't allow the set backs and troubles in his life to deter him from acting with a clear head and a willing and servant heart. He gave God all the credit for everything Joseph was able to accomplish even though Joseph had gone through 13 years of hell. After everything he went through, he not only continued to trust and follow God, he gave God all the glory for everything he did, had or accomplished.
- Read Gen 41:16, 25, 28.
That's the first step to being wise…humility. If he was bitter about the situation he was put in either at Potiphar's house or later in the prison, he wouldn't have used the knowledge he had and thus would not be promoted in each situation. A bad attitude, messed up priorities, wrong frame of mind can all hinder your ability to be wise.
- Use the Miami Ink and OC Chopper shows as examples.
Joseph also kept his eyes open and was aware of his surroundings and what was going on in the country in which he was living. What was Joseph's country of origin? Egypt was not his native country. He was taken there quickly and against his will. He very well could have claimed ignorance as to the customs, but he learned them and used them to his advantage. The choice to learn about Egyptian culture and the choice to use that knowledge were both wise choices. The second step or sign of the wise is vision. Vision is basically a big-picture view of things. You have to be knowledgeable of your surroundings and what's going on in the world in order to have a big picture view of things. Joseph not only interpreted the dream of Pharaoh but also (without being asked) gave advice on how to fix the coming problem (Gen. 41:33-37). If he didn't know how the country worked, he wouldn't have been able to do so (or would have given poor advice). How much do you guys know about the world you live in and the country you live in? How much do you know about your own faith. It's not so much the knowledge you attain regarding your world and/or country, but the decision to make a point to learn about those things that is the wise decision. Again, it's the choice and the application of that choice, not the knowledge, that's considered wisdom. Think about some classes that you are taking where you should be learning about your government and world history. These things may seem stupid and unimportant now, but may very well be the key to keeping this country strong when your generation starts running things. Use communism illustration from high school history class.
The next sign of wisdom that is shown through Joseph's life is that of spirituality. Read vs. 38 again. Pharaoh isn't a Hebrew. He believes HE is a God, but listen to what he says regarding Joseph. Read the verse. Pharaoh respected Joseph's devout nature and his commitment to God. Sometimes such a commitment would land a believer in trouble, but we are called to such a faith regardless of the consequence. Being obedient to God will always be the wisest thing we could ever do.
Psalms 111:10
Even when we think its best to hide our faith to non believers it's better to remain faithful.
- Use Gators/Seminoles illustration.
Pharaoh appointed Joseph not just because he was humble, smart and had vision, but because Pharaoh believed Joseph was close to God and that God's blessing was with him. He gave Joseph rule over the whole country. Nobody but Pharaoh could order him around. Joseph responded to that trust by sticking with his own plan. He didn't change things or give up no matter how difficult things became. For seven years, Joseph stuck with the plan (Gen. 41:47-49). He illustrated the 4th sign of wisdom…faithfulness. It would be pretty unwise for Joseph to suggest a plan, have Pharaoh give him the responsibility to carry out that plan, and then have him screw it up somehow. Be faithful and responsible in the tasks given to you and most importantly, be faithful in your relationship with the Lord. A few centuries after Joseph died, the Israelites were liberated from slavery in Egypt by Pharaoh. After the 10 miracles of Egypt, the pillar of fire, the splitting of the Red Sea, the Israelites doubted God. They abandoned him for a false idol, they were not faithful followers, they voted not to obey his orders to take back the Philistine lands and thus had to wonder for 40 years in the desert. Not being faithful to God can lead to some pretty nasty consequences.
The 5th sign of wisdom is hope. In verse 51 (Gen. 41:51), Joseph names his firstborn Manasseh, which means, "causing to forget". Joseph said that "God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house." Joseph obviously never lost hope in God's faithfulness to him. He kept on serving God and he kept on living for him. He never threw his hands up in the air and got angry with God for what was happening to him. If we place our hope in God and in his faithfulness to us, nothing will ever cause us to break down or get depressed. The choice to place our hope in God in any situation will always prove to be the wisest decision.
Pharaoh obviously trusted Joseph a lot. In verse 55 (Gen. 41:55), the people came to Pharaoh for help during the famine and he sent them to Joseph. That shows a large amount of trust in Joseph on Pharaoh's part. This was a national crisis and Joseph was trusted to take care of it. Trustworthiness is the last of the 6 signs of wisdom. If you are not trustworthy, what good will you be to others? What good will you be to God and His kingdom? Trustworthiness is something you choose to be. This follows the whole theme about wisdom being more a choice and more an application than simply an accumulation of knowledge.
In summary, everyone in this room can be wise if they choose to be. Every aspect of wisdom is shown to be a choice. Even if you have learning disabilities, you can still be wise. Taking what knowledge you do have and what experience you do have and applying them accordingly in your life is the basis for wisdom. Having the six signs of wisdom - humility, vision, spirituality, faithfulness, hope and trustworthiness are also the result of choice and application and not of ability per se. Choose to be wise. Begin by having a Biblical fear of God and going from there. The Bible is full of wisdom and knowledge and Proverbs describes wisdom as a precious jewel that's meant to be sought after and cherished. Proverbs 4:7