What the Bible Says About Seeing God's Wisdom in A Chaotic World

 With the hectic atmosphere and world events that have happened really over the past couple months, I see a common thread amongst us.  It seems that we are continually making the statement, “God please give us guidance” or “God please give us wisdom”.


Those are very wise statements and statements we do need to make.


However, let me ask us this question, are we really looking for the wisdom and guidance from God or is our version of wisdom and guidance from God just what we think it should be?   Many cry out for these things but deep down in our hearts, we don’t really want them.  What we really want is what we think should happen.  


The Israelites very much lived in this way.  They cried out to God in the wilderness during the Exodus for food.  God provides abundantly for them.  However, to the Israelites, it wasn’t the food they wanted.  God provided sweet tasting manna but I guess the Israelites wanted roasted lamb, leeks, cucumbers, and garlic for their bellies.  The Bible says that the Israelites grumbled about the manna (Numbers 11:1-9).  Later on, the Israelites would beg for a king.  God gave them one.  However, this king was prideful, selfish, and out for his own glory.  Eventually he led the people of Israel to the brink of destruction by the Philistines and it was only because of God’s providence in David that they were saved.  The Israelites looked for the Messiah.  They were under the yoke of the Roman Empire and were looking for the one who would take the throne.  They were looking for a leader of a rebellion against this aggressive regime.  They forgot about the prophecies of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53).   They had a fixed idea of what they should get at that moment in time in history and were not ready to receive what God had for that time.


We are very much the same way.  I don’t know why things are happening the way they are in our country right now.  I don’t know why things are happening the way they are in our communities and in our churches right now.  I just know the constants that Scripture teaches us.  I realize that we live in a fallen world.  Sin is rampant and the thoughts of men are continually evil.  I realize that God is sovereign and in complete control.  God will accomplish what He wants to accomplish only in His time.  This is the same God who had His people wander in a wilderness, be held in Babylonian captivity, be scattered and disorganized amongst other nations, held under the yoke of the Roman Empire, etc.  This is the same God though who always delivers.  This is the same God who blesses and never forgets.  This is the same God who loves us with an unending love.  So, I’m patient when I ask for His wisdom because I understand His wisdom.


James 3:17 says,


17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.


When I ask for the wisdom of God to be with our leaders, then this is what I need to see.  When I ask for the wisdom of God to be with our churches, then this is what I need to see.  Sadly, I don’t think we see it yet, but I will have patience that God will provide in His time.


God’s wisdom produces behavior that is morally pure, chaste, and modest.  God’s wisdom produces relationship, not estrangement.  God’s wisdom does not demand its own way but rather functions by influence.   God’s wisdom is not rooted in pride but rather in service.  God’s wisdom is marked by kindness, generosity, and helpfulness.


My friends, as we ask for the wisdom of God to be evident in our world today, the best way for this to happen is to have it evident in our own lives.  Do we produce behavior that is pure, chaste and modest?  Are we building friendships rather than enemies?  Are we being babies because we don’t get things our way or are we looking to make sure it’s God’s way (Here is a big hint to remind ourselves, we are not God).  Are we kind, generous, and helpful?

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