Wisdom vs. Courage

So many things going on lately, where I seem to seek or feel like I need wisdom and courage. This quote started me thinking a few weeks ago because it seems like one is exclusive of the other....

But, really....what is widsom? 

According to Webster....

And, according to scripture....

I want to be wise.  But, I want wisdom that is:

pure

peaceable

gentle

open to reason

full of mercy

full of good fruits

impartial

sincere

Not just knowledge and facts I can quote.

I shouldn't have to worry about when to hang on and when to let go. 

Biblical wisdom will make me courageous. 

The world says wisdom is based on knowledge, things I can tangibly learn and then use in some way or another.  But scripture shows me wisdom defined like character traits, so there is no amount of knowledge I can boast about. 

No matter what the circumstance of life it, when it is hard and/or when it is easy, when facing tough decisions or exciting changes, when feeling confident or scared to death, we seek wisdom.  We want to know how to proceed, we want someone to tell us, to make the road easier, remove the questions for us. 

But, that isn't life.

Just in my circle major life changes are going on...

 

Death is looming in families

Families are growing with children and through adoption

Friends are taking leaps of faith in careers

Leaving familiar and going to unfamiliar

Separation of family due to work travels & assignments

Recent loss that is still heavy and sometimes crippling

 

...and your circle has countless scenarios too, that we all want answers to for ourselves or for those who are seeking.  How do you make a decision?  Know what is right?  Give advice when asked?  Know what to pray? 

 

Life is not about comparison between levels of knowlege and trying to apply to circumstance. It's not about who has the most courage and takes the biggest leap or who seems to have no courage and can't seem to ever leap. 

 

I am fortunate to have many circles and opportunities to seek counsel from people I consider wise.  Ones who have gone before me in life experience, who may know more about something I am considering, who have been on the same road I'm on, who above all chaos know there is always hope in all circumstances regardless of how they turn out. 

 

They approach whatever might be in question with pure, peacable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial and sincere intention. They aren't concerned with what the world expects of me, they are only concerned with my heart and what is best for me and my world.  Ultimately always building me up and pointing me to put my hope in Christ and not in the circumstance or expectation of this world. 

 

And, in return, I learn from them and Lord willing apply that same wisdom when asked by someone else who is in turn seeking me as wise counsel.  I also know my limitations and am not scared to admit them, and help seek someone who is better counsel. 

 

Sometimes our pride wins out and self takes over.  When pride takes over and the opposite of pure, peacable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial and sincere are what shows up in the attempt to utilize only self knowledge. I don't want my self to take over, I want to reflect this: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." Prov 31:26.  

 

No one is denied wisdom ...."If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5.

 

Let's be courageous to give and apply biblical wisdom to life's circumstance and seek wise counsel when needed, not just depending on ourselves and our own knowledge. 

 

Always learning,