On Wisdom

From John Piper's sermon, July 27, 2008-

Listen to these verses from James 3:13-15:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above.

(Piper comments:)
Wisdom is marked by meekness, and freedom from selfish ambition, and freedom from bitter jealousy, and freedom from boasting. In other words, wisdom rises in relationships of meekness and humility and love and servanthood rather than jealousy and selfishness. Wisdom is not a solitary attainment. It is a community or a corporate or a relational attainment. Loners are not wise. Wisdom is given and found and forged in the fires or committed relationships.


I started reading through Proverbs last week, and so, I meditate daily on this idea of wisdom. I have been thinking, yet again, about how to best impress that wisdom on my children. I find such comfort from words like Proverbs 1:23- "Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you." Thank you, Lord, I don't have to figure this out by myself! Thank you Holy Spirit!


Piper reminds me that although wisdom is strength, it is "marked by meekness." That is what I want to impress on my children, too- the importance of "meekness and humility and love and servanthood rather than jealousy and selfishness." Where better to learn that than in the context of family?


A quick rundown of the list from Proverbs 8:1-11 shows us that wisdom is understanding, prudence, noble things, right things, truth, righteousness, straight forward, instruction, desirable.


Lord, keep ME after Your wisdom, keep it close, "on the tablet of my heart," and show me, through Your wisdom, how to model that meekness and humility daily in every relationship you give me.