Wisdom is Not Enough

Today’s blog posting is contributed by David Trotta:

In today’s church, we put a premium on being wise.  We read to gain wisdom.  We pray asking for wisdom.  We look to those wiser than us for guidance, so we can glean what they have learned and become wiser in the process.

Growing in wisdom should be a lifelong goal and something we strive for, but when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, great wisdom doesn’t guarantee anything.

To make my point, let’s look at the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon.  How wise was he?  Well, this is what God said about him in 1 Kings 3: 12 - “Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.”

As wise as Solomon was, in the end it didn’t benefit him.  He walked away from God in his later years.  Just 8 chapters later, what started out so wonderfully turned into this declaration - “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully.”

How tragic.

I can’t help but think Solomon must have wrestled internally as he gradually left his first love to pursue the pleasures of this world.  I’m sure warning bells were going off as his heart grew colder and colder towards the Lord.

So, what does God put a premium on?  What characteristic gives us the best chance of staying God-focused?  In Isaiah 66:2 God says “But this is the one to whom I will look:
    he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

A humble and contrite heart causes God to stand up and take notice.  A humble and contrite heart will allow us to keep Him on the throne of our hearts, instead of the pleasures of this world.

Don’t stop desiring wisdom, especially God’s wisdom.  It’s beneficial in helping us live a life pleasing to him.  But, don’t put your trust in it alone.

More importantly, seek to always cultivate a humble and contrite heart.  Only when wisdom is mixed with a healthy dose of our human frailty, can we stay hungry for God and surrendered to His Lordship.