According to Proverbs 3:19-20, God created the very ground we walk on by wisdom. He set the heavens in place by understanding, and filled up the watery depths by knowledge. If we want a combo pack of the things that might reveal what power really is, those three might top the list. Since we sometimes use those words interchangeably or with definitions that don’t quite reach the level of spiritual context, let’s look at them again.
Wisdom, maybe the kind of wisdom Solomon displayed in the early days, means we know how to put things together, how to order them or arrange them so they can function well. If we think about planet Earth we might acknowledge that it was perfectly placed on its axis, given the proper amount of light and oxygen to sustain life, and that it provided for every possible human need. Wisdom is what you have when you choose to live with kindness and generosity, or when you offer guidance to those who may have lost their way. Wisdom is a beacon that lights the way for everyone, and it’s the way God works all things together for good.
When God set up the heavens, he placed a boundary between the places where human souls might exist. He differentiated between what it meant to live here and what it means to live there. He knew that it was important for any of us to recognize our limits and to know when to step up and when to retreat. Understanding is what we need in order to make any life decision well. We need to be wise as we look at the overview of what is before us, but we need to understand the context to see the tender mosaic of existence and all that weaves it together. So when we pray for wisdom, we must also pray for understanding before we can truly make choices that will be the most beneficial.
The third thing God had, that most of us have in some measure is knowledge. This isn’t the kind of knowledge that allows us to get perfect SAT scores. It’s the kind of knowledge that the Spirit gives, the kind that may feel like a mystery to your soul, but one that comes with confidence anyway. You have intimate knowledge of things that others may have missed because that kind of knowledge is a gift. It is how God knows you, and so when you pray for wisdom, you are asking God to help you know Him better.
The blessing of getting wisdom is that it taps into the only true source of possibility that has ever existed. You want wisdom because you realize you’re missing something that is critical to your well-being. You know in your heart that there’s more to be understood, more to know than what you see now.
God wants you to know Him. He wants you to have the kind of wisdom that opens your eyes to the light of all that He is and all that He has done for you already. He wants you to learn from the scholars and theologians, but then move on to those who share knowledge, because there’s infinitely more to be had, to be understood.
You’re a smart cookie! You already have enough knowledge to understand there’s more amazing and wonderful things for your spirit to embrace. Get wisdom and everything else will fill your heart with greater clarity.
