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This morning we’re talking about wisdom.
And that’s the ability
to use knowledge and understanding
in a practical way
—to make good decisions,
to solve problems,
to avert danger,
and to offer meaningful
and helpful counsel when needed.
Of course, we cannot rely
on our own understanding
and knowledge and wisdom.
We need to go to the one alone
who is wise, Jehovah God.
Why?
Well, Psalm 19 says
that “the reminder of Jehovah
is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced one wise.”
And why can we be so confident
in the wisdom that comes from Jehovah
through his Word,
from the leadings of his holy spirit,
and from what he gives
to the Governing Body
that’s passed along to us?
Why can we be so trusting?
Well, it’s because of what Jesus said
as a very basic truth at Matthew 11:19:
“Wisdom is proved righteous by its works.”
The wisdom that Jehovah provides
always benefits his people
and always works
for the good of all involved.
But we imperfect humans
do our best to display wisdom,
but we don’t always hit the target, do we?
We have limitations.
So, what we’d like to do for a few moments
is just talk about some things
that could make it appear
that something is wise,
but in reality it’s not
because it’s not based
on “wisdom from above.”
Let’s take the first example.
Is it only good intentions
and being well-motivated
that make some advice helpful and wise?
Let’s use a Bible example
to answer that question.
Please open your Bibles
to Matthew chapter 16,
and there in verse 21,
Jesus is explaining to his disciples
that he’s going to have
to suffer and to be killed.
And how does Peter react
at Matthew 16:22?
“At this Peter took him aside
and began to rebuke him, saying:
“‘Be kind to yourself, Lord;
you will not have this
happen to you at all.’”
Was Peter well-intentioned?
Yes.
Well-motivated?
Yes.
But was it wise?
No.
And Jesus explains why in the B part
of the next verse, verse 23:
“You are a stumbling block to me,
“because you think, not God’s thoughts,
but those of men.”
Jesus was here on the earth
to completely fulfill Jehovah’s prophecies
and purpose for him,
and that included death.
And Jesus did not want
any discouraging comments
that would in any way keep him
from fulfilling his assignment.
So it was well-intentioned by Peter
but was not wisdom from above.
Let’s use another example.
Suppose someone is going through
a very difficult trial,
and they’re going through
all types of pain and suffering.
They would just like some relief,
and somebody comes up with an idea
that might provide them some relief.
But is it wise?
Let’s go this time to the book
of 1 Samuel chapter 26
—1 Samuel chapter 26.
In this account, David, of course,
is fleeing from the murderous Saul.
David is running for his life.
He’s under great stress.
But out in the wilderness,
he learns where Saul’s camp is.
And so at night, David and Abishai
go down to the camp
where Saul and all of his men
are sound asleep,
and they’re standing right over Saul.
What does Abishai say
at 1 Samuel 26:8?
“Abishai now said to David:
“‘Today God has surrendered
your enemy into your hand.
“‘And now, please,
let me pin him to the ground
“‘with the spear just once,
and I will not need to do it twice.’”
What was Abishai saying?
‘This is a gift from Jehovah.
‘He’s right here.
‘Kill him, and the relief
that you’ve been looking for will be here.
And I’ll help you.’
But was David impressed with that advice?
Absolutely not.
In verse 9, he says:
‘Well, how could I kill Saul
and remain innocent before Jehovah?’
In verse 10, he says:
‘Jehovah will take care of this
in his due time.’
But notice verse 11:
“It is unthinkable
from Jehovah’s standpoint
for me to lift my hand
against the anointed of Jehovah!”
Did you notice
“from Jehovah’s standpoint”?
David did not want
to use an unscriptural piece of advice
to bring some relief from suffering
when it would not be pleasing
to his heavenly Father.
So likewise, we should never give
or receive advice
that is unscriptural
to try to rid ourselves
of a very difficult trial.
Now, the next point
we’re going to talk about
is that sometimes we can be affected
by who says something
and by how they say it.
And that can affect whether or not
we believe it’s wise or unwise.
So where do we go in the Bible
to illustrate this point?
We want to go to the book of Ecclesiastes
—Ecclesiastes chapter 9
and we’re going to read verses 16 and 17.
Now, we’re reading it
because we want to focus in
on who says something
and how they say it.
Verse 16 says:
“And I said to myself:
‘Wisdom is better than mightiness;
“‘yet a poor man’s wisdom is despised,
and his words are not heeded.’”
Verse 17 says:
“Better to heed
the calm words of the wise
than the shouts
of the one ruling among fools.”
How do we understand these verses?
Well, if someone is prominent
and well-known and powerful in personality
and he says something,
people are more likely to believe
that he’s saying something that has value.
But if he doesn’t have substance
to what he’s saying, it doesn’t.
On the other hand,
someone who may appear more lowly,
more calm, or more meek
may say something,
but because he’s not so powerful
or prominent,
people think, ‘Probably he doesn’t have
very good things to say.’
Well, the apostle Paul dealt with situations
like this in the first century.
And notice in 1 Timothy chapter 1
that Paul addressed those
who were deviating from the faith
and saying things they shouldn’t.
And notice what he says at 1 Timothy 1:7.
There it says of these false teachers:
“They want to be teachers of law,
“but they do not understand either
the things they are saying
or the things they insist on so strongly.”
So they came across powerful.
They came across with strength,
conviction, enthusiasm,
but they were wrong.
Notice how the Insight book
talks about Paul’s description of these men.
Insight says this:
“Paul knew the human tendency
“to give prime attention
to those having an impressive manner,
“obvious talent, or powerful personality
and speech
“[they get a lot of attention]
“he knew that the ‘quiet speech
of a wise man of little material wealth’
“is often ignored in favor of those
giving greater appearance of mightiness.”
That ends that quote from Insight.
So, what’s the point?
Some people may be impressed
by statements
that are loudly made
with strong conviction
and with a tone of superiority.
However, strong volume and conviction
will never compensate
for a weak argument.
So we want to make sure
that we’re not overly influenced
by who says it and how they say it.
The key is: Did they give us
wisdom from above?
That’s the key.
And our final point this morning
has to do with two essential qualities
that are needed for us
to gain godly wisdom.
Those two essential qualities
are humility and modesty.
In all humility, we acknowledge
that others are going to have better ideas
than we do sometimes.
And modesty, we have limitations.
We think we are right sometimes,
and we’re not.
And the wisdom
of having those two qualities
is demonstrated in the book of Proverbs
—Proverbs 18:17.
Let’s turn there, Proverbs 18:17.
It says: “The first to state his case
seems right,
until the other party comes
and cross-examines him.”
Yeah, a person may go
into a committee meeting,
an elders’ meeting,
or a meeting with a group of overseers,
and he’s got a great idea.
And then when his fellow brothers
start asking him questions,
he finds out
it’s not such a great idea after all.
And what might they do?
They would bring about objective reasoning
and also Scriptural arguments.
So in our brief discussion this morning,
we have learned that wisdom from above
is absolutely valuable.
We want it from Jehovah,
but we have to be careful
that we don’t confuse human wisdom
with wisdom from above.

Harold Corkern: Jehovah Provides True Wisdom (Ps. 19:7)