We hear that wisdom comes with experience, with age, with learning. In our world we tend to put a lot of value on education and knowledge. We’ll spend thousands of dollars every year to study at prestigious universities. There are over 100 Scripture references that directly address wisdom, so if you wish to become wise, let’s start with the creator of your brain, the creator of your capacity to think and reason.

Wisdom comes from God

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (James 1:5)

“For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

Wise people listen to advice

“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” (Proverbs 12:15)

“Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” (Proverbs 13:10)

“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” (Proverbs 19:20)

Wisdom brings joy and strength

“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.” (Proverbs 3:13)

“A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.” (Proverbs 24:3-5)

Wise people are cautious

“The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.” (Proverbs 14:16)

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19)

Wisdom starts with fear of the Lord

(Proverbs 1:7, 3:7, 9:10, 15:33, 111:10, Job 28:28)

Wisdom is most talked about in reference to fear of the Lord, that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. So when we recognize who God is—the Almighty, all-powerful, Alpha and Omega, Creator of Heaven and Earth—when we have reverence for the Lord, when we understand that, as Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, God can “destroy both body and soul in hell,” we will find an appropriate fear of the Lord. How can we be wise if we don’t recognize who God is? I think C.S. Lewis best explained and depicted fear of the Lord in the first book of his classic Chronicles of Narnia saga. The children have met the beavers and they are learning about Aslan who, in the books, represents Jesus and God.

“‘Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.’ ‘Ooh’ said Susan. ‘I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion’... ‘Safe?’ said Mr Beaver ... ‘Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.’”

—The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

The Bible does offer a commentary on the world’s wisdom. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). Start with realizing, recognizing, and understanding who God is, begin with an appropriate fear of the Lord, and you shall start to find wisdom.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed