Job 28:12ff reads, “Do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?” It is the question of the age, of all ages.
Self-Help manuals, secret insight writings, personal growth gurus, success sages, motivational masters, … the list for sources of advice in our culture seems endless. In a world seemingly more sophisticated than ever, it seems we are still groping in the dark for true knowledge, real truth. If the studies are even briefly scanned, and the headlines read, despite the abundance of personal growth advice which seems to multiply daily, we remain a society deeply unfulfilled, misguided, angry, addicted, and emotionally off kilter. In fact, what the research demonstrates, despite our modern achievements, wealth, comfort, and “progress”, is that, as a whole, we are more dependent upon counseling than ever, more “prescribed” than ever, and more unfulfilled and sad than ever. What is missing?
Self appointed spiritual sages suggests truth is relative, non-exclusive, undefinable, open to opinion, relationship gurus tell us to open ourselves to anything that makes us feel good as long as “consent” is granted, pleasure pundits suggests the key to happiness is, well, happiness or fun without boundaries or at least self-delineated boundaries, success gurus tell us that accomplishment will fulfill us, hollywood tells us that celebrity can define us, and the corporate world tells us that title and wealth will ultimately protect us. Is it working? Not even remotely. Why? Its all about the missing piece.
Shel Silverstein, in his profound little book, The Missing Piece, tells of the problem we all face. As we journey through life, looking every which way but the right way for that thing which will “fit”, we pursue one futile attempt after another, never really finding that essential part which fills the void. When in relationships we miss the truth of God which calls for patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and a slow tongue, and instead we opt for a full on fight for our rights, our way, our desires, the last word, and the drive to be proven right. Rather than grace and restraint, we offer spite and callousness. In place of a hunger for the best in the other to be nurtured we follow our cravings and desires. In place of team work, we choose individualism. In place of cheering one another on to godliness we sit quietly as the call of God for our lives slips away. Then, in the aftermath of broken and cold relationships, we wonder what in the world went wrong.
In the professional world we kick, scream, and threaten our way to the goal, and then wonder why we have no true friends or people that engage and respect us. Or perhaps we long to be united to someone in a meaningful relationship, someone who will value, support, encourage, and lead us, and yet, we continually place ourselves in social settings where we are more likely to find the exact opposite profile. We desire to win a mate to our side who will go with us the entire way on life’s journey, and yet, we continually choose those who are more interested in themselves, and who are looking more for physical enticement than faithful companionship. We desire relational depth and maturity, but we allow ourselves to be pulled to “sexy”. We desire to be in relationship with someone who values us for the person we are inside, and yet, our presentation of who we are only calls attention to our exterior. We desire the life God would have for us, knowing it must be best, yet we continually avoid the lifestyle He leads us to believing the lie of culture that the wide road is the route filled with more fun and fewer prohibitions. Or we desire to walk with God more intimately, yet we rarely spend time with Him in prayer, worship, or study, and we find ourselves at a loss when we are dry inside, confused, and numb to the things of God. Where is the wisdom in any of this?
Perhaps, like many, you attend church, know some of the lingo, hang out on the fringes of the christian group at certain times, enjoy the Sunday service, but you also tend to follow the party crowd. You separate your life into categories. There is the fun-time you, and there is the spiritual you. There is the parent you, and then the frisky-fun you. There is the you who longs for meaningful and intelligent, even spiritual conversation, but then there is the potty mouth you, the emotionally careless you. More often than not, you find yourself trying to convince others how good you are despite the disparity in the way you live from one situation, one setting to the next. Is there wisdom to be found here? Will this ever work? Will follow the norm this way ever prove ultimately satisfying?
Such an approach to life will always leave us like that wandering character who never finds the one piece which brings the puzzle of life together. God has an idea in mind for how we experience Him, how we walk with Him, how we walk with others, and how we manage our inner lives, even our social lives. Try as we might, to make life work another way, it never will. All the opinions of cultural gurus, talk show hosts, and motivational experts will never replace the one missing piece, WISDOM.
Wisdom, truth as defined by God alone, is the piece to the life puzzle which brings all the moving parts of our lives together in harmony. That wisdom cannot be found apart from a committed and passionate desire to read and understand the scriptures given to us by God, the Bible. Parenting help? Its there. Marriage manual? Its there. Friendship issues? Its there. Sex guidance? Yep, that’s there too. Emotional control issues? Its there. Fatherhood issues? There. Teenage craziness? Yep, you can find it there. Anger? Got that too. Forgiveness? You bet. Betrayal? Oh boy, its there. How to deal with poverty? There. Wondering about what life in the church should look like? Its all there. Gossip problems? Your cure is there. Selfishness? Done. Wanna know how you should live out your faith in front of others? Ditto. Praying and hoping your kids will find their way to God? Look in the Book. You name it, the Word of God has insight for your life. Wanna know how to really win the heart of your potential mate? Read the book. Biblical wisdom is the ticket. That, above and beyond the opinion of friends, Oprah, writers, coaches, and anyone else, is the wisdom you need. Try as you might, you cannot, will not, ever, find true wisdom elsewhere.
We turn back now to Job, a man whose righteousness and life skills far surpassed anything any one of us could hope to aspire to. This upright, accomplished, wealthy, important, and well known man, on the heels of amazing success, amidst an onslaught of severe difficulties, and under the weight of a myriad of confused opinions, came to find the answer to the riddle of life. In seeking understanding for his life and problems an important realization was provided him. If this truth were so central to the life of this man, how much more must it be true for us? We turn back to his question posed at the beginning, “Do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. ‘It is not here’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here’ says the sea. It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be bought with silver.” Job 28:12-15
And so, Job makes us aware that wisdom, true wisdom, cannot be found by human opinion, it cannot be found in nature, and it cannot be bought. If we should hope to find the piece which brings all the disorientation of our lives together, we will have to turn somewhere else for help. Job, again, offers the compass for that part of the search, “God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens. He decided how the winds should blow, and how the rain should fall, and He laid out the path for the lightning. He saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly. And this is what He says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” Job 28:23-28 What is fear of the Lord? An acknowledgement that His truth is life defining, and a passion to follow it. What is the evil we are to forsake? Anything which God does not call good. If its not what He calls people to, its now for His kids. Wisdom joyfully understands, and gratefully runs to this reality.
And so, Job, a man who learned wisdom through the good and the bad, at the hands of a God who loved him and tried him, came to discover, the piece for which we all search. The part which enables families to work, hearts to soar, lives to have meaning, and souls to be set free, is the wisdom of God. The scriptures suggests that such wisdom is worth more than silver or gold. Wisdom from God is that missing piece which, when found, brings a sense of alignment we could not experience otherwise. Wisdom is the missing piece to the equation which makes the math work. It is the sense of scale, depth, contrast and color, which makes the landscape of our lives come into proper focus. Wisdom is the first violin, the part which makes life really resound upon the score of our experiences. It is the breath which brings life to every situation. It is the heart of any lasting love affair. Wisdom is the catch of all catches. It is the wind which fills the sails of any voyage worth taking. She is bigger than any opportunity, more lovely than any woman, more attractive than any man, to be craved more than any fantasy, and more satisfying than any experience known to man. Wisdom, is indeed, the missing piece we all need. Search it out.
What is your need today? What does your soul need an answer for? What dilemma are you facing? What opportunity is being offered you? What relationship are you considering? How are your relational patterns? How’s your anger quotient? What’s your view on modesty? How is your definition of fun defining how life is working out for you? Is your escapism working for you? What friends do you need? What friends are keeping you from wisdom? How are you deciding how to spend your night? Your weekend? Your year? Your life? Need any direction? Is your career one that honors wisdom? Honors God? Are you winning the hearts of your kids? Are you doing your part? Is the life of the church a critical part of your life? Is wisdom defining who you are, how you live? Seek wisdom. Find God.
Bruce Smith
optimuslife.org
soulstormsite.com