We know that it is necessary that a person gains wisdom, and there are several reasons why this is (not including common sense, which some seem to be lacking anyways).
The first would be to preserve his own life. (Pr. 21: 16; 1:32; 19:8; 12:13 ). The second is for the sake of others - in that he would take care of his own household (Pr. 27:23-27), wisely aid others (Pr. 29:7), and the simple cause-and-effect benefits of wise behavior that those around the wise man enjoy(Pr. 28:2) .
Thirdly, a man must be wise in order to glorify God and reflect His image, as he was designed to do when God created him. Genesis 1:26 says “Then God said ,‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’” Being His image, it is natural that we should be like Him. Note also Adam’s responsibilities for which God made Him “Then God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, and every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Gen. 1:28) May you observe that these responsibilities (which were given to the man and His wife, the man being God‘s direct image bearer and responsible for the command not to eat of the tree of life, and woman as his helper) are things that God Himself did and does. He rules, and He made man in His Own image.
So then, it being so critical that one gain wisdom, the questions arises: How do I gain wisdom?
This question I will attempt to answer in very short form in this post.
I would like to look at Proverbs chapter 2. The author, whom we know to be Solomon, addresses this chapter to his son, whom we know to be Rehoboam. This is wisdom, however, and goes for everyone.
In brief observation, it should noted in verse 3 the conditional situation in which the son must “cry for wisdom“, and “lift up” or give his voice for her. He must plead for her. Think about were a person must be in order to do this. They must be desperate. They must know their hopeless condition, and want earnestly the cure. Then, in verse 4, continuing the condition of verse 3, the son must get up and search for her. This isn’t a cursory glance or a brief inquiry for wisdom. The search that the son must have for her is compared to a person’s search for “silver” and “hidden treasures”. The searcher is putting their whole energy into their quest, and their whole heart is in it. Nobody half-heartedly looks for concealed treasures when they know it is there. They put all they have into it. This is their priority because they understand what they will benefit from discovering it.
It must be recognized that this is a lesser comparison. Proverbs 3:14-15 says of wisdom “For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire compares with her.” When found, even unlimited gold renders only temporal benefits to her possessor, and brings a lot of baggage along with it. However, wisdom gives not only temporal benefits, but primarily eternal ones.
Now it must be asked “Where do I look”. Let me ask you, where does wisdom come from? Look at verse 6. The Lord is the source of wisdom, specifically “From His mouth”. So it is the things that God speaks that grants us wisdom. Where, now, do we have a given (note that) record of God’s words? So then where must we turn in order to gain wisdom, where do we dig? The inspired Scripture, the Word of God - the Bible. Also, note that at this time the New Testament was not existent. All people had were certain books of what we call the Old Testament, specifically the Law. This can be looked at more in the future, but just know that for now.
So, you are in a situation and you don’t know what exactly you should do. You need wisdom. What do you do? Roll your eyes in the back of your head and mutter a prayer to God, asking for guidance, hoping that the right answer will just pop into your mind? You must rely on what you have been taught form Scripture, not your own “Scriptural” ideas, but actual truth”. You need to be in a place where you are being taught the word of God so you can depend on what you know.
“Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth” ~ John 17:17
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