Seeking All Wisdom

“Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.” (Proverbs 18:1)

Is it not interesting that we must separate our self when we desire wisdom? But separate our self from what? And why?

How could it mean anything other than to separate our self from the way of the world? After-all, it is true wisdom that we are seeking. This wisdom is truth, which means righteousness, which can only mean it is God that we seek.

To separate from the world is the definition of sanctification. To be sanctified is to be separated from sin and consecrated to the Lord. Would we not be on the path of righteousness if we were seeking true wisdom? How could that path be anything else?

The act of pursuing true wisdom, the wisdom that is God, will automatically separate us from the world. This is a path that few desire and even fewer travel. The pathway to Hell on the other hand is wide open and will gladly accept you as you are. It’s an easy path with plenty of rest stops.

Righteousness is not a wide path. It is not an easy path, nor is its gate wide.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14).

King Solomon makes it clear that the path of unrighteousness is to be avoided at all costs.

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.” (Proverbs 4:14-17)

That’s a very strong warning when we are told to not only don’t go down the unrighteous path, but don’t even try to go around it! Simply do a 180 and avoid it completely! Like Paul said, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” We should never give sin any chance or avenue to pursue.

But here’s the thing about wisdom. It has always been calling us.

“Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.” (Proverbs 8: 1-5)

Wisdom has always been calling, but we have not always been able to hear. It is not until God quickens our spirit that we are ready to receive wisdom’s call. And this happens at a time of God’s choosing.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee. (Psalm 65:4a)

We also must understand the duplicity of wisdom and righteousness in this present world. The world wants to reject it. The natural reaction of this carnal world is to repel the wisdom of God because it runs counter to the wisdom of the world. This is why so few are on the path of righteousness. The wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.

Finally, in our pursuit of wisdom, we are to engage in it as well. We are to “intermeddleth” with wisdom. This is to wrestle with it, test, prod, prove, and inquire about it. Don’t just accept it without thought. Dig into the wisdom of God. Investigate so as to understand it. This is much like Jacob wrestling with God (Genesis 32:22-32) or the Bereans who, “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11).

Which brings up something to consider. Memory verses are a good thing. But with the memorization make sure there is a good, clear understanding of what is meant. A great example as to the importance and need for comprehension is when the devil tempted Jesus. The devil recited scripture to Jesus in an attempt to get Jesus to worship him. One time the devil recited from Psalms, but left out a small, but critical part of it, thus changing its context. It sounded right but it wasn’t. Imagine what could have happened if Jesus took the word of the devil as the word of God? Also, Jesus’s only defense to every temptation was to recite scripture back at the devil. Yes, it was good that He had scriptures memorized, but it would have been of no use to Him if He didn’t understand what it meant. Get wisdom, but make sure you get understanding of that wisdom too!

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.” (Proverbs 4:5-9)

Wisdom, truth, righteousness, holiness, etc. are all pursuits. We will never completely “be” any of those things while here in this earthly domain. We will have to contend with them during our journey into them. The Apostle Paul’s war within between flesh and spirit as told in Romans chapter 7 is a good example of this. But our pursuit of the unpopular and sometimes difficult holiness and wisdoms of God are born out of our love for God. We do because we want to do. We recognize a hole in our soul that needs to be filled. It’s like a spouse that we love dearly. We want nothing else than to please them and to be with them. To do anything hurtful to our spouse, intentional or not would be devastating to us. A spouse is a good simile for our relationship with God. God is righteous, true, and holy. He can be nothing else. So we want to be righteous, true, and holy so we can be with Him.

Bill Hitchcock