Thoughts on Wisdom

Wise Words from Susan Brackley at "Heart of Faith." Follow her on Facebook as well.

"Ladies~ When wisdom has the motive of proving or flaunting oneself it has ceased to be wisdom. Wise people open their mouths only after they have circumspectly and cautiously evaluated that it is a necessary and opportune time to edify. True wisdom’s motive is always to honor God and be used to glorify Him.

Sometimes that comes in the form of encouragement and loving support, sometimes it comes in the form of rebuke and correction, other times it is appropriate in the form of teaching and instruction, other times it is most needful for reminding people of God’s faithfulness, sometimes it is best for the use of counsel and godly advice, sometimes it is our wisdom to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, yet at other times it is our wisdom to keep silent.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Pro. 25:11).

“To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!” (Pro. 15:23).

“How forceful are upright words!” (Job 6:25).

A person that is well learned in the things of God, doesn’t need to show off her knowledge, nor share her reading, or divulge all that God is teaching her; it is best that she waits and uses it for good purposes as the Spirit sees fit at the exact right time and setting.

Elihu, one of Job’s friends, was a good example of this. He sat and constrained himself from speaking until Job’s older, and supposedly, more learned friends were done speaking; when he felt that the time was right he modestly yet confidently took the floor and spoke wise and right words.

Wise people continually practice learning the art of being good listeners who really strive hard to relate to, sympathize, understand, empathize, and identify with other people before they make a judgment or try to help them. Self examination, Spirit leading, opportune timing, self-distrust, humility, graciousness, caution, manners, knowledge on a specific subject, sensitivity to specific people and circumstances involved in each conversation, and esteeming others as better than ourselves is essential before we open our mouths to impart wisdom in any given situation.

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly” (Pro. 15:2).

We all need to be reminded of these things and we all need to pray fervently that God will grant us wisdom as we study His Word and learn just who He wants us to be and just how He wants us to handle each individual situation that we are faced with each day."

*Republished with permission.