Wisdom and Folly

Bible Reading: Corinthians 3:18-23

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

One of the major dividers in the Corinthian church at the time was arrogance. People sided with certain church leaders like Paul or Apollos, and they played out their jealousy and strife as they competed to show that one or the other was better. Paul rebukes the churches actions and gives them a firm warning. 

Do not think that you are wise in your own eyes. The world’s wisdom is foolishness. Don’t boast in men. 

How often is it that we think we know it all? How often are we confident that we live life the way we should be living it according to God’s will? Self-confidence will always lead to a great downfall. 

It is easy to think that we are walking and living just how God wants us to live in our everyday lives. Days pass, then years pass, and nothing changes in our lives. It is easy to think that we are good enough, we have been repentant enough, and now we are good Christians who are living our God’s will for God’s glory every day. 

However, are we actually? How do we know? 

Wisdom is the ability to make the right choices at the right time. We might think that we are making all the right choices in life. They might even be backed up with solid reasons. Yet, human wisdom is folly to God. God’s ways are not our ways, and a lot of the time, God’s will is unthinkable to us. 

How then can we gain God’s wisdom? How can we know how to make the right choices in our lives?

Proverbs 9 is a poem regarding wisdom and folly. Verse 10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” To be wise begins with the fear of the Lord. To fear the Lord does not mean to be fearful of Him because of impeding judgement or punishment. To fear the Lord means to fear Him out of awe and reverence. To fear the Lord means to humble ourselves below Him and submit our lives to obey Him. 

We must humble ourselves before God and acknowledge that we are fools before Him in our sinful understandings. We need to honestly and sincerely seek to know God in a personal relationship with Him and put Him Lord and Master over our daily lives. Only when we walk with God are we going to be wise. Only if we obey His will are we going to walk in ways of life that are pleasing to God and fully satisfying for us. And, we can only obey His will if we know His will. We can only know His will if we intimately know Him. 

How do we know God? 

First, set your heart fully for God. Make a commitment once and for all in our heart to make knowing God the primary concern in your life from today until forever. Surrender your whole heart to Him. Then, relate to Him. Read His Word, talk to Him in prayer, fellowship within the church. God will speak to you if you diligently seek Him with a sincere heart. Then, your relationship will grow, and you will learn to walk with the Lord. You will know His will for your life, and He will strengthen you in the way you should go. Only when we live like this are we wise in God’s eyes. 

Lord, please forgive my arrogance and self-confidence. I don’t know if I am living my life the way. You want me to live it. Please let me know You and know Your will for my life. If my life is not lived according to Your will, what purpose does it have? Let me walk with You and live this one life in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.