THE DIMENSIONS OF WISDOM: WISDOM VS. UNDERSTANDING

09/12/2023

"For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:26)

Wisdom is the ability of God in a person to produce specific outcomes. Wisdom is not proficiency. However, wisdom is the ability of God in a person to produce something through proficiency. Many often mistake wisdom for proficiency, but proficiency is knowing how to do something well. Proficiency is what the Bible refers to as understanding. It is important to make this distinction between wisdom and understanding because so many have short-changed themselves by defining wisdom as understanding. The important thing to note is that with wisdom, there must always be a tangible or perceivable outcome, end product, or success. 

 A simple illustration of the difference between wisdom and understanding is in the fact that many know how to pray with fervor. They have an understanding of speaking in tongues for hours, but very few know how to receive the manifestation of their prayer's answers.

The Bible is replete with testimonies of wisdom as the ability of God granted to a person to achieve an outcome. One time, Jesus performed bewildering miracles that Mark 6:2 accounts, "And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!"

Notice the attributes of wisdom in Mark 6:2. There were outcomes in the form of revelatory teachings and mighty works, and it was perceived to have been given to Jesus by God because wisdom is God-given. 

Take talking as an additional illustration. Some people know how to talk so well but have little to show for it. Yet, the Billy Grahams of this world won millions of souls by talking. Many get paid millions of dollars for talking. What's the difference between the people who just know how to talk and those who have something tangible to show? Wisdom. Wisdom is the difference between know-how and productivity.

The other thing to note is that wisdom is God-given, and since wisdom comes from God, the only way to get it, if it is lacking, is to ask God for it. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

As we immerse ourselves in the dimensions of wisdom over the next few days, we recognize that wisdom is the secret to living a life with results. Knowing how to get things done is not enough. You need to have wisdom. After all, the Bible says, "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7).

Have a fantastic day.

Faith-Filled Confession:

Christ has been made unto me wisdom. Therefore, I am wise in the aspect of my destiny. The person God desired me to be is exactly who I am becoming by the wisdom of God. I bring forth God's dream of me as I embrace the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Jesus. Hallelujah!

Prayer Points

Pray that God will birth and ignite in us an unquenchable passion for the lost.

Continue to pray that God's people will live revived, broken, and awaken to God's will, grace, instruction, and correction in righteousness.

Continue to Pray that God's people will live undistracted by the pleasures of this world. Also, pray that none of us will yield to the demand of the flesh and the devil.

Continue to Pray that every peculiar test, temptation, and challenge confronting them will fade away in the face of God's glory in them.

ONE YEAR READING PLAN: Proverbs 21-22; 2 Corinthians 4