Worldly wisdom is a dangerous thing. There is an aspect of it that is desirable, but it comes with a cost. It is like many other things that can be good and helpful but can also be very destructive.
The Good
Fire is one of the greatest gifts humanity has ever received. Just imagine what life would have been like for so long if there had been no fire. There would not be the warmth that fire brings in cold weather. When the sun goes down, the darkness would be unrelenting until the morning came, especially when the moon and stars were not visible. Food would be eaten raw, no matter what the food was. Life would have been very different without fire.
The Danger
On the other hand, fire is incredibly dangerous and destructive. The wildfires of California and surrounding areas are stark reminders of how destructive fire can be. Everything we own can be lost in the span of a few minutes. There are few pictures of my father's ancestors because of a house fire that destroyed almost all of them. Lives are lost, properties are destroyed, the future of generations can be altered because of fire.
Wisdom from the World
We realize this dual aspect of fire, as we have seen the good and bad of fire portrayed time and time again. With wisdom, it seems different. The term wisdom has a positive sound to it, without regard to the context. We understand wisdom to be a positive thing that is always desirable and good.
Though this may be true concerning genuine wisdom, it is far from true for what often passes for wisdom. Some aspects of what we call wisdom are far more dangerous than any fire.
Wisdom from god
There is a distinct difference between what we call wisdom and what is actually wisdom. The Bible clearly states that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and that in Christ are "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." In fact, the scriptures say that "the foolishness of God" is wiser than men.
True wisdom comes from God. It originates in Him and comes to us as a gift from Him. Wisdom is based on and is consistent with God's truth. Anytime there is an accepted concept or idea that is contrary to God's Word, it is not true wisdom.
There is an increase of worldly wisdom that is pervasive in our society, but it is not true wisdom. James 3 tells us the source of worldly wisdom when it states, "This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic." We are prone to accept the prevailing thought of our society, and even see it as wisdom, though it contradicts the Word of God, and actually has as its origin, the father of lies.
Romans 1 tells us that people will claim to be wise even when they foolishly deny the truth of God.
"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures."
We see this lived out at the most esteemed levels of our society. Rather than wisdom, it is foolishness. It is reckless, dangerous, and has as its origin the father of lies, not the truth of God. We must not be deceived by those considered wise in the world's eyes, yet who deviate from God's truth. True wisdom comes from God and is in keeping with God's truth. Let's not be led astray by worldly wisdom, but rather live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.