By: Lou K Coleman
Who is wise and has understanding among you? [ James 3:13-18].
There was Enoch and Noah, they were wise enough to walk with God in their day while the world around them refused to. Thus, they were both saved while others perished [Genesis 5:22-24; Genesis 6:9].
There was Ruth, she was wise enough to say to her Jewish mother-in-law, “…for whither thou goest I will go; and whither thou lodgest, I will lodge; Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God,” [Ruth 1:16] while her sister-in-law turned around and went back to sin.
There was Abigail who sowed wisdom and reaped God’s blessing [ 1 Samuel 25]
There was Mary who was wise enough to sit at Jesus feet and hear His Word [Luke 10:39]
There was Martha, who was wise enough to entertain Jesus in her home [Luke 10:40]
There was Andrew, who was wise because he brought people to Jesus [John 1:40-42]
There was David, who was wise enough to say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” [Psalms 23].
There was Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, [1 Kings 12:3].
There were the wise men, who came to worship Jesus when he was but a child [Matthew 2; Luke 2:1-19].
Again, as Paul, the Apostle asked, “Where is the Wise? Because a wise person does not simply understand the truth. A wise person acts and does according to that understanding. They are what James describes as “effectual doers”[James 1:25; James 3:13].
Two people: Wise and Foolish! They both hear God words, but only a wise person takes them to heart and lives with integrity because they know the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A foolish person hears God’s words but does not act on them. The fool says in their hearts, “There is no God” and lives a life of evil. They are like the “hearers” who James wrote about, those “who delude themselves.” [Matthew 7:24-27; Psalms 14:1; Proverbs 1:7].
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a Father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not My Law. For I was my Father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain My Words: Keep My Commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of My mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go, keep her; for she is thy life. [Proverbs 4: 1-27].
For everyone that hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise person who builds their house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the flood came, and the wind blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish person who built their house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it. [Matthew 5, 6, and 7.]
I advise you, be very careful, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Understand what the Lord’s will is. [Ephesians 5:15-17]. Meditate on the Word of God [Joshua 1:8] and consider what direction in life you are headed [Proverbs 16:9] because the only thing distinguishing the wise person and the foolish person in this life is whether or not they act on the words of Jesus.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” [James 1:5-8].
Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. [Hosea 14:9].
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. [Isaiah 40:8].
The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; He looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. [Psalm 14:2-3].
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For these people’s heart has grown callous, they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them. [Matthew 13:14-15].
