How to Find a Reliable Path to Gain Wise Counsel
Photo by Adrien Tutin on Unsplash
The search for wisdom today
When I was a young student in school, we used encyclopedias as reference sources for projects and term papers. The Encyclopedia Britannica was somewhat the gold standard then, but the World Book—the American alternative—was more modern and easier to use.
If you’re wondering how long ago, it was after the invention of the printing press but before copiers and printers (LOL). We went to public and school libraries to do research unless our family could afford to buy a set of encyclopedias. Even so, if you needed several reference sources, you went to the library.
But today, a laptop and a good Wi-Fi signal will suffice most of the time. Need some answers? Check Wikipedia or “Google it!” Want to know how to do something? Search YouTube.
But the wired world of today isn’t nearly as reliable and trustworthy as many believe. It’s a closed system of information. Tech-savvy pundits, social media, and bots skew much of what’s viewed as truth. It’s hard to know what’s true and what is misinformation.
Articles or downloads on the Cloud aren’t a reliable source of wisdom. We gain wisdom by gathering knowledge, processing it thoughtfully, and discerning what is valid and true.
The Book of Proverbs is an ancient book of wise sayings. It is a reliable source of wisdom enduring for centuries. It endured because it contains what we once knew as common sense.
Scripture
Stupidity is fun to the one without much sense,
but a person who has understanding forges straight ahead.
Without advice plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed.
…and a timely word—oh, how good!
The path of life for a wise person leads upward
in order to turn him away from hell below. (Proverbs 15:21-24 GW)
(Context—Proverbs 15:20-24 GW)
Simple Insights
Today, our culture is driven by what’s expedient, even at the cost of accuracy or completeness. We seem to prefer efficiency and immediacy over reliability.
There was a time when “experts” thought the world was flat and ships would fall off the edge of the earth if they went too far. Of course, this was proven false countless times, centuries ago. The earth, planets, and stars in their orbits were also understood in Bible times (Job 26:7, 10; Psa 19:6; Isa 40:22).
Current wisdom is uncertain and short-sighted. It’s based on insufficient evidence with unverified extrapolations. Years ago, certain foods were said to be unhealthy for us. Now, experts in health consider these same foods essential to good health.
Too often, people take to an extreme what could or might be true. We see this in various fields of knowledge. It leads to what I’d call pop-wisdom. It’s pushed by popular opinion. But my cynical self says it’s driven by what’s marketable rather than sound reasoning.
How does a person become wise? They need to gain wisdom. We can gain true wisdom through reading, discussion, reflection, and thinking that leads to a useful understanding. But who has time for that?
Godly wisdom requires a similar process but is based on the Scriptures as a primary reference of truth and the wise counsel of godly people.
True wisdom—godly wisdom—takes the larger view of things yet sees the smaller details. It doesn’t rush to unreliable conclusions and is time-tested. It’s also practical and applies to everyday life.
Godly wisdom is based on an eternal perspective rather than individual preference. This is seen in the larger context of these verses and summed up here—
The fear of the Lord is discipline ⌊leading to⌋ wisdom, and humility comes before honor. (Prov 15:33 GW)
As spoken of in an earlier devotional, the fear of God isn’t a fearful attitude but a personal, respectful trust in God. It’s not relativistic but a disciplined view of life and truth.
When the wisdom we hold to is no longer based on assumptions and opinions but anchored in a transcendent source of truth, it is reliable and sound.
It includes trustworthy advice from people whose lives are an example of godly wisdom based on biblical truth, not arrogance and self-importance. This is the path of wise counsel.
Reflection—
How are you guided through life? Do you listen to the popular wisdom of the day or rely on the soundness of godly wisdom? We gain true wisdom through reading, discussion, reflection, and thinking on the truth of God with those who trust in Him.
Prayer Focus—
Approach each day with a fresh willingness to seek godly wisdom from the Scriptures—asking God to give it you as you pray and read (James 1:5)—and spend time with the people of God who trust in Him as shown by the example of their lives.
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