Wisdom is something we should ask God for (James 1:5). It is something we should seek with a diligence likened unto searching for hidden treasure (Proverbs 2:3-4). And yet Proverbs 2:6 tells us that ultimately wisdom is a gift from God. It reminds me of what we saw in our study of Philippians 2 where we are called as a church family, in the context of a pursuit of unity in joyful humility, “to work out our salvation with fear and trembling”; but then are reminded immediately that we do so, “FOR (emphasis added) it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” 

As I was praying for our church family this morning and wondering why we grow at different paces and in different strengths and passions, the Lord reminded me that even the paradox of wisdom is wise. If our own growth or even the growth of the true followers of Jesus in our church family at Springs were all up to us, we would labor under crushing anxiety and I’m sure fizzle out. But if God only worked apart from us – if prayer didn’t matter and the encouragement of one another didn’t matter and taking up one another’s interests as if they were are own didn’t matter – then we would lose all sense of initiative and longing for Jesus.

God’s wise plan of wisdom – where He gives it as a gift in His perfect timing over the course of our life and our pursuit and need of wisdom to live righteous (which Bruce Waltke correctly identifies in Proverbs as having a huge social aspect. He writes: “Even The righteous are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves.”) – that paradox of God’s perfect giving out of wisdom over our course of sanctification and our necessary pursuit to love well our neighbor – gives us enough incentive and enough assurance to pursue the knowledge of God all our days.

Praying for us, as we seek Him together,

Joe