15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Sometimes Christians ignore the biblical mandate to think wisely because they misunderstand how the Spirit leads. Too often, examples of God’s supernatural guidance (like Gideon and his fleece in Judges 6) and His direct intervention (like Paul being redirected by the Holy Spirit in Acts 16:6–10) are seen as the norm. But when Jesus sent out the disciples He charged them:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16)
It is true that Proverbs, the book of wisdom, tells us:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5–6)
But this passage does not tell us to ignore our understanding of things, only to not depend on it as our sole support in decision making.
In our commitment to the Bible as the Word of God, we can fail to heed Jesus’ condemnation against the robotic legalism of the Pharisees:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” (Matt. 23:23)
As believers, we are not called into a Christian legalism. We often encounter life situations that do not have exact parallels or teaching in Scripture, so we need wisdom to apply the principles Scripture does lay out for us. This is especially true when we do not find in Scripture a “thus saith the Lord” clarity for the particular issue or behavior we are dealing with. Thus James wrote:
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
The faculty of reason is not the issue. A builder may build a great house, but if constructed on a faulty foundation it will fall. When a person’s life is rooted in jealousy or selfish ambition, his reasoning from that premise may seem perfectly sensible, but it will result in evil consequence. As Jesus said, “[W]isdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35). Or lack thereof!
Lord, I desire to grow in wisdom, just as Jesus did (Luke 2:52).
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