I don’t know what comes to mind when you hear the word “wisdom” but for me things like gray hair and wrinkles are among what pops into my mind. I think we naturally associate wisdom with age, with the testing of time and the ability to learn from our mistakes. But that kind of wisdom is hard earned and takes time to accomplish. So, what do we do with verses like Ephesians 5:15 that tell us to walk in wisdom? How does a young person fulfill a verse like this if wisdom is for the old? 

To answer this question, I think it’s important to distinguish between a few different definitions of wisdom. First, there is the wisdom of the world. As you might have guessed, this is a bit of an oxymoron. We read in 1 Corinthians 3:19 that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.” This sort of wisdom is built on things like karma, revenge, bitterness, selfishness, deceit, manipulation, cunning, and independence. This sort of wisdom will never bring us peace, happiness, or even success in the long run. This is certainly not the type of wisdom that we want. 

Another word often mistakenly understood to mean wisdom is “knowledge.” Where the two terms are similar, they are not quite the same. But we can all too easily settle for the lesser of the two, knowledge, instead of seeking true wisdom. Knowledge is the accumulation of information and understanding. It is not, however, the application of that information and understanding. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “that’s the stupidest smart person I’ve ever seen.” Though it’s not a nice statement, I think it illustrates that we can be incredibly smart and still lack wisdom. Conversely, I have met people who are not traditionally book smart but contain wisdom beyond measure. So, wisdom is different from knowledge, though they can and often do go hand in hand. 

Another definition of wisdom is what I mentioned earlier- this understanding that comes with age, hard earned, and defined through many trials and failures. And although there is a great value to this sort of wisdom, I still feel like there is something lacking from it. I’ve met older people who have lived a lot of life that are still missing something. And how does a young person walk in this sort of wisdom? 

So, if it’s not wisdom from the world, from knowledge, or from age, what is this wisdom that we are told to have? And perhaps more importantly, how do we gain it?  

Let’s jump back into the text for this week’s reading through James. In this passage, James compares the wisdom of the world to that which comes down from above, the wisdom of God. Earlier, in chapter 1, verse 5, James tells us how to attain this kind of wisdom. He instructs us to ask God in faith. See, this kind of wisdom is not learned in a book, through experiences, or even from other people. This kind of wisdom, the best kind of wisdom, is found in God alone. It’s a result of a close relationship with God, a constant seeking of Him in faith.  

And it’s different from all the rest in that it is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy. The wisdom that we receive from God both reflects and points to His perfection and His sufficiency. It draws us deeper into relationship and reliance on God, opening our eyes to our ever-present and desperate need for more of Him. It is filling, beautiful, and whole. And it’s only found in Jesus Christ.