Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ~~ Ephesians 5:15-16
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ~~ James 3:13
Wisdom – the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. The ability to discern inner qualities and relationships. Wisdom is that knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life it’s the natural ability to understand any given subject.
The Bible speak of a number of people who walked by or asked for wisdom? Here are a few we would like to explore.
We start with King Solomon who was wise beyond his years. He was around 20 years old when he was called by God to be King. He knew that he needed help in knowing how to be a good King and take care of the kingdom. Solomon could have asked God for anything to assist him on this journey; money or material possessions but instead, he asked God for wisdom. God had offered him anything his heart desired, and he requested wisdom. He felt wisdom was worth more than even money. Because of his response, God granted him wisdom, He also gave him what he didn’t ask for, both wealth and honor. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, worth more than money. He would have no king equal to him in his lifetime. 1 Kings 3:1-15
Abigail displayed wisdom as she dealt both with her foolish husband Nabal and with David who was very angry and ready to take revenge. Dealing with difficult people is a great challenge. Abigail shows us the value of learning and applying God’s wisdom in relationships and in making an appeal. You can read the story in 1 Samuel 25: 23-35. There is a lot to learned from the way Abigail dealt with her situation.
Some wise people in the Bible are not specifically named but they played a huge role in preventing undue violence and bloodshed or seeking the Messiah.
- A wise woman of Abel is an unnamed figure in the She appears in 2 Samuel 20:16-22, when Joab pursues the rebel Sheba to the city of Abel. The woman, who lives in Abel, institutes a deal with Joab, who promises to leave the city if Sheba is handed over to him. The woman speaks to the people of the city, and they behead Sheba, and throws his head over the wall, at which Joab departs.
- On the night of Christ’s birth, a mysterious light appeared in the sky which became a shining star that continued in the heavens. Tradition says that there were three wise men, this came from the fact that the Bible mentions three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, this is according to Matthew 2:11. It is not really known if more than 3 men travelled to see baby Jesus, what is known is that they bring to light that the Savior of the world had been born. The wise men who came seeking the Christ child were not ordinary men or idolaters; they were upright men of integrity. Kings seeking the King of Kings. What they do next is what we should all do when we encounter the Lord, they bowed down and worshipped Him and presented Him with gifts.
Of course, there are many otherwise mentionable in the Bible, I implore you to search the scriptures to find them and see what knowledge you can take from them that you can apply to your own life.
I leave you with these 8 characteristics of wise people, based on James 3:13-18
- Humble – Wise people don’t constantly brag, boast, or display a prideful attitude.
- Good deeds – Wise people live an upright and moral life.
- Gentle – Wise people treat others with care and respect.
- Considerate – Wise people put the needs of others ahead of themselves whenever possible.
- Peace-loving – Wise people don’t foster division. Instead, they work to end strife and turmoil.
- Merciful – Wise people demonstrate compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to others.
- Sincere – Wise people are genuine, real, and honest; not deceitful, hypocritical, or false.
- Impartial – Wise people are fair and just. They do not show partiality to others for their own benefit.
