The Way of Wisdom
Recently, my wife and I were waiting to get seats for our daughter’s concert. Access was set up Black Friday style, in which everyone waits outside the doors and then rushes in all at once to get their seat. I was doing a good job blocking and tackling as we made our way to the targeted section. As we got near the ideal seats, my wife asked where we should sit. I quickly responded that it was her call and a woman near us told me I was a wise man.
Wisdom is a sought-after quality as well as something philosophers wrestle over the definition of. Socrates and Plato described it as humility. Descartes emphasizes the knowledge aspect. Aristotle describes it as the applied knowledge of how to live well–like being wise enough to let your wife pick the seat location.
The Apostle Paul has some thoughts on wisdom too. God’s foolishness is wiser than the world’s wisdom. The cross reflects God’s wisdom. Jesus is wisdom revealed. If you want to be wise, here are three mentalities to pursue.
Servanthood, not privilege
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
The cross is foolish because it proclaims that losing is winning. The God of the universe chose to proclaim power by defeating death through dying on the cross. The servanthood of Jesus is the foundation of understanding the wisdom that life is found through giving, not getting.
Our work, school, and family life can either be the canvas we use to pursue a life of giving, or we can get lost in the thing itself. If our goal is always to succeed or prove ourselves, peace will always evade us. If our goal is to love, another way to describe giving, we will live wisely.
Relationships over knowledge
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1 Corinthians 1:20)
The scribes and debaters were the famous people in Corinth, known for their knowledge. Paul’s message for everyone is that their relationship with God and one another is the difference maker, not what they know or their position of renown.
Wisdom understands your relational positions are more important than your position of power. So, where are you investing your life? In building your positions of prestige or the people around you? Wise living will be focusing on your people.
Humility instead of self-importance
God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:28-29)
Jesus is God’s no and yes to humanity, calling all humanity to confess their need for God and declaring all of humanity loved and forgiven. Everyone has need and everyone is loved. This reality reveals that wisdom is embracing the humility of our common need versus holding onto self-importance.
As the story goes, Abraham Lincoln traveled to the home of General George McClellan to speak to him about leading on behalf of the Union. McClellan was not home upon his arrival so he waited in the parlor, along with his Secretary of State and aid. McClellan arrived home and was said to be going to change, only to retire for the evening and have his butler send Lincoln away. The Secretary of State was incensed by the rudeness! Lincoln responded by saying, “better at this time not to be making points of etiquette and personal dignity.” Why? Because Lincoln was humble and more concerned with serving the Union than being offered respect. A beautiful reminder that wise living is pursuing humility versus holding onto our self-importance.
Servanthood, valuing relationships, and humility are all aspects of love, which is who God is. Therefore, wisdom is pursuing love. If we want to be wise, then we want to develop our ability to discern and act in resonance with love, as revealed in Christ.
