Mission Venture Ministries

I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. (Proverbs 8:12) 

As we see, wisdom describes herself as the quality or state of being wise. She has knowledge of what is true and accurate coupled with fair judgment, using discernment and level-headedness. 

Wisdom and prudence reside together since prudence like wisdom possesses the ability to discipline her self by the use of reason. Prudence refers to self-control; applying good judgment and being watchful to danger or risks, while those lacking in wisdom and prudence are careless and given to impulse and extremes. 

So how do we gain wisdom? 

The wisdom we need must begin with God. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). 

The greatest obstacle to seeking the will of God and doing it is our attitude of self-sufficiency and self-trust. Proverbs teaches that the evil man is arrogant and presumptuous. He cannot fathom righteousness, and he will not seek it. The one who would want to gain wisdom is the person who would first of all forsake trusting in themselves and in their natural reasoning and instead: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7). 

Becoming wise and discerning God’s will is only possible when we forsake all confidence in our own reason, which has suffered from the effects of the fall. It is when we come to trust fully on God’s revelation, on His wisdom and not our own. An example was when Jesus told Peter: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23). 

In addition, divine guidance requires commitment. Human reason rests only on what we can see, on our own perception of what matters as viewed in the context of present circumstances, when divine guidance rests upon the promises of God – this is the substance of Hebrews chapter 11. Men and women of faith are those who live life in the present in the light of God’s promises which are yet future. Therefore, the will of God is known only by those who are willing to commit their future into His hands. 

Repeatedly in Proverbs we are told that wisdom is only for those who diligently seek it. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). 

If we don’t seek God’s wisdom and prudence and don’t start on the right foundation, we might build a structure or make a decision that seems to make sense but won’t be able to withstand the strong winds of adversity as Jesus taught His disciples in the parable of the “Wise and foolish builder” (Matthew 7:24-27). 

In conclusion, a person who is wise will be faithful to the Lord’s teaching. They will wisely think before they speak and prudently contemplate and prayerfully considers actions before taking them. This means that we ask and then wisely let the Holy Spirit lead us in all our decisions. 

Always remember that scripture teaches us: “Let your heart take hold of my words; keep my commandments and live; acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not abandon her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your possessions, acquire understanding” (Proverbs 4:4-7). 

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