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Wisdom is an important quality – the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. It is essentially “godly sense and judgment based on life experiences.” Wisdom is regarded as a blessing as it is supposed to guide us to live happier, healthier, more controllable and prosperous lives. The author of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, asked God for “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong” and God gave him “a wise and discerning heart” plus “wealth and honour” (1 Kings 3:9, 12, 13). He made a difficult but wise decision regarding two women’s claim to be the true mother of a baby. He ordered the child to be cut in two only to reveal the true mother. The real mother would rather sacrifice possession of the child than to see him killed (1 Kings 3:16-28). If answers to the seeming emptiness of life could be found, then Solomon would be the best one to find it.
However, Solomon in Ecclesiastes concluded that this pursuit of earthly wisdom is meaningless. “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Eccl. 1:18). Why the more one knows the more one grieves? He was referring to wisdom “under the sun” i.e. “worldly wisdom”. Those who look for worldly wisdom tend to look inward for answers instead of to Creator God who rules eternity. The more you understand, the more you feel sorrowful about the problems of this world.
The Apostle Paul asks the wise Greek society in his days: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has God not make foolishness the wisdom of the world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20). God’s wisdom is very unlike the world’s wisdom. While human wisdom does help us to get by better in this world, we are urged to seek wisdom with a personal relationship with God. We accept a crucified and risen Jesus for our personal salvation rather than the meaningless search for wisdom for an explanation to the tumultuous environment we live in. We can get godly wisdom instead of just being worldly wise. We actively seek for godly wisdom by reading, studying and meditating on the Bible and obeying biblical teachings. Besides that, heeding timely counsel from godly people and associating with wise company also plays a great part. With this godly wisdom we live our lives for the glory of God and in serving people. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
