Daily Encouragement Net (Archive/Print Edition)

Friday, March 3, 2006

"God's Wisdom"

"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight" (1 Corinthians 3:19).

For about eight years of my life I served in New England, a region known for elite colleges and universities such Harvard, MIT, and Yale. Harvard and Yale and many other universities were initially founded to train ministers but now these schools are very hostile to Biblical Christianity. However, I thank God and pray for the Christian ministry that is taking place on these and other campuses.

Today's verse is a good memory verse, particularly for students. I believe there are likely two interpretations of this verse and perhaps they both apply.

Comparatively speaking the very finest wisdom the world has to offer is foolishness to God. This might be illustrated by a proud kindergartner learning that one plus one equals two resulting in the feeling that he is now an accomplished mathematician. But to an earned Ph.D. in mathematics his knowledge is comparatively "foolishness". *

The second interpretation of the verse is far more likely in my view. From God's perspective what mankind often calls wisdom is foolishness. A stunning indictment on the fallen human race in Romans declares, "Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22).

I want to know the ways of God, who is all-wise and recognize this foolishness, even though the crowd, academia, and the politically and culturally correct may be saying it's wise. A rather obscure verse from Daniel states, "He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning" (Daniel 2:21). May God give me and each reader godly wisdom and spiritual discernment today!

I want to continue to grow in my understanding of God's ways. And that begins when I recognize that ultimately all wisdom apart from God is foolishness. This day join me in seeking to know the mind of the Lord and become familiar with all His ways!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer: Father God, the depth of Your wisdom and knowledge takes us far beyond the scope of human understanding. Far more information is available to us than our ancestors had and future generations will be exposed to even more data than we presently have, but Your wisdom exceeds that of man, for You are the Creator. We cannot know what You are thinking or planning, apart from the Scriptures, for Your ways are higher than our ways and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Help us to be truly wise and make our plans, purposes and understanding conform to Your will for our lives. Amen.

* Even this is not an adequate illustration because with God we are always dealing with a contrast between the finite and the infinite. Even the most capable Ph.D. in math has a very finite understanding in his field. Also preschool math (1+1=2) is simple but still correct and actually forms the foundation for all other levels of mathematical truth. I believe the Apostle Paul is saying that wisdom from a worldly standpoint is foolishness to God. Worldly wisdom does not form a foundation of truth.

Patrick S. Weber is my nephew who is a youth pastor. He wrote and recorded this song called "Come Like You Promised" Perhaps you'd like to listen.

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