Ephesians 1:9-10
“For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
One of the blessings we have received from God is this: He has given us wisdom and insight into his purpose and plan. We need wisdom and insight.
- Wisdom and insight give us clarity and understanding about the things of God: the ability to see the truth about God, his character, and his Kingdom, and to discern error.
- Wisdom and insight give us clarity and understanding about our purpose, identity, and role as an agent of God’s kingdom. Wisdom and insight help us understand the “why?” of our life.
- Wisdom and insight give us clarity and understanding about how the world functions, and how we can be effective and productive in our jobs and in society.
Knowledge is the acquisition of facts and truth about God and the created world. It is being aware and having information. Wisdom is understanding how and why to apply God’s truth to the specific situations of your life. Insight is an even deeper level of knowing and understanding God’s principles. It is seeing how different biblical truths fit together; it is understanding the big picture of God’s plan, and having a deep awareness of how to apply biblical principles to the way we live and do our jobs every day.
While the Lord makes his wisdom and insight available to us, we must be faithful in order to gain access to the Lord’s wisdom. This is a key message in James.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1.5-8)
What James is saying is that when we ask the Lord for wisdom, motive and mindset matter. The Lord will give wisdom if we ask with an attitude of faith and a readiness to obey. If we are not willing to respond to the wisdom that the Lord gives us, or if we are only asking for selfish reasons, we will not receive anything from the Lord.
One of the most powerful descriptions in scripture of how to acquire wisdom and insight is Proverbs 2.1-6:
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
God’s wisdom is available to us, but we must “seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures.” Again … motives and mindset matter.
