The Getting of Wisdom
James 3:13 Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? Then you should show your wisdom by living right. You should do what is good with humility. A wise person does not boast.
By and large, we associate growing older with growing wiser. I mean, that’s what’s meant to happen. But actually, a direct correlation between age and wisdom isn’t a given.
It’s one thing to know a lot of things – to have knowledge – but it’s another thing altogether to know what to do with that knowledge. You can be smart but lack, for instance, emotional intelligence. You can be highly intelligent, yet still fail to perceive people’s emotions, have insight into situations, or show compassion when it’s needed.
So here’s the question: how do you and I grow in wisdom? That’s something we should all be asking ourselves because none of us is there yet. None of us have arrived.
It turns out that like most things, wisdom comes through practice. Here it is:
James 3:13 Are there any among you who are really wise and understanding? Then you should show your wisdom by living right. You should do what is good with humility. A wise person does not boast.
Wisdom and understanding, it turns out, are like muscles that we can exercise or not; abilities that can either grow stronger or weaker. How can we become really wise and understanding? By living right, each day simply doing good without boasting about it; without expecting accolades; but in humility just step by step, doing good.
Who in your life just at the moment needs you to do good for them? Who is it that needs just some simple kindness, or a word of affirmation, or a helping hand … today, here and now?
When we humble ourselves and do good for them, we’ll at the same time be growing in wisdom.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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