I Lack No Wisdom. James 1:5 by Susan L.

  "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." NKJV
  "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." JCB

   I burst out laughing when I read today's affirmation. "I lack no wisdom." Maybe not but I can be awfully dumb at times. Hence the Band-Aid on a finger that had a disagreement with a kitchen knife. Oops!

  Wisdom is totally separate from age, intelligence or education.
  The honest forthrightness of a child's insight can be a precious thing indeed (and potentially embarrassing).
  Knowledge is good. But, without wisdom to guide the application of that knowledge, it is a dead thing with no purpose. Or worse, knowledge is turned to serve the dark forces in this world.
  Three men used their learning to follow a star. Did their wisdom show itself when these rich and powerful men humbly knelt before Jesus' cradle? Is that why they are called the "wise men"?

  Long ago, I fell in love with the many verses in Proverbs that speak of wisdom and her qualities. It's a wonderful exploration of what wisdom is. Whenever I read them, my heart leaps with desire for everything she represents.
  Its as though Solomon's writings were an introduction to the Holy Spirit...

  There was a long pause here. It felt like my head was going to explode with ideas that have poured out far faster than my fingers could ever type. Why is wisdom a woman? Is it the Spirit that makes us wise or is it by learning to listen and obey? How can a knowledge of scriptures be a dangerous thing? And a whole bunch of other stuff.

  Then this popped into my head and the brain train screeched to a halt:
  Knowledge, without the heart of God behind it, shaping its outpouring, tempering it with love, becomes a cudgel we use to beat each other to death.
   Forgive me Father, for feeling I have to prove how "smart" I am.
  Teach me to be wise.
 
  Wow. What started off rather nonsensically and light hearted has ended with a bang. Yet, my heart is lightened with this deeper understanding of wisdom.

  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
  Courage to change those things I can.
  And the wisdom to know the difference.
                    Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)