My father, who has been with the Lord for 4 years now, was always fascinated by my smartphone (boy, do I miss him). He would save up his questions for when I would visit him in his assisted living center. He would always state his question, and then ask me to “Gogle it.” I think he was saying it wrong on purpose. I never corrected him.
Accessing information and knowledge is often only a Google search away. The Christian life, however, is much more than merely accessing knowledge. The Bible urges us that in all of our seeking to also seek wisdom.
It takes a bit of experience to understand that wisdom should not be confused with knowledge. We enjoy many benefits because of the knowledge humanity has acquired. Yet, by nature, we humans lack true wisdom, which has to do with rightly applying knowledge to life. The world, apart from a relationship with God, is oblivious to God’s wisdom, and is referred to in Scripture as “walking in darkness.” As a result, increases in knowledge often tend to magnify the problems we face.
James the brother of Jesus points us away from mere human wisdom to look to God’s wisdom: “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
As Christians, instead of looking down at our smartphones, we are called to look up, seeking God’s wisdom—the only wisdom that aligns with ultimate truth and that leads to the fruit of abundant life. This wisdom is not something we work up from within—it is a gift from God, who James calls “the Father of lights the giver of all good gifts.”
What is godly wisdom? Ultimately it is not a “what,” but a “who”—it’s our Lord, Jesus Christ, “in whom,” as the apostle Paul says in Colossians 2:3, “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The first step toward God’s wisdom is to look up — to see and trust Jesus—who is God’s living Word. As we do, Jesus, through his Spirit, leads us to the written word—the holy Scriptures, which Paul notes “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus is the personification of wisdom, and the source to whom we look. Living by the Spirit, being reliant on Jesus and his Word, leads to a life lived in accordance with the wisdom that comes only from God.
May we look up and humbly seek the wisdom that our Father is gracious to shower down on us through a relationship with his Son.
This is Greg Williams, speaking of life.
