The House on the Rock

Articles - Denis Podorogniy

Foolish, Clever, & Wise Men

       It is clear that a wise man can do much better in life than a foolish man. Therefore, for many in the world there is a natural desire to gain knowledge that may improve the quality of their life. 

        People everywhere endeavor to learn more and more; most of them place a high value on a good education.  Some think that getting an education is more important than anything else in life.  Many try to send their children to prestigious universities, thinking that knowledge is the key to gaining monetarily and that money is a guarantee for their future. Though this isn’t necessarily so, there is a race to get educated in the world.

      Contrary to this way of thinking, many Christians believe they do not need an academic education at all, just faith alone.  However, the Bible has a lot to say about working hard, gaining wisdom, and using our brain.  And though education is certainly not the answer to everything, we should want to build our life on the Holy Scripture.

        Christianity has influenced and encouraged the development of nations and culture in every century.  The Spirit of revival has always inspired societies with the desire to develop, and progress.  The work of many scientist, philosophers, and artists rose out of the nurturing halls of Christianity.  Gospel teaching always promotes using the mind, and the Bible admonishes us many times to “search the scripture,” “get to know what God’s will is,” “seek wisdom,” … Our calling is to move from glory to glory, from power to power, from faith to faith and to become better people from one generation to the next, and we make that advance in proportion to our knowledge of Him.

DO I NEED KNOWLEDGE OR WISDOM?

      There is an IQ Test in the west to check the level of one’s knowledge and intellect.  To receive a score of 130 means you are very smart.  To get a score of 50 means you are below average. But God judges our aptitude differently than man.  We may think someone is clever but God see him as unusable and mad.  Likewise, a person can seem to us to be foolish but God see him as wise.  It is evident that God has a different value system. 

      To be considered smart in this world you should make use of technical language, have many degrees, and have your scientific work published in well known journals.  People judge whether you are smart or stupid if they see you doing these kinds of things.  But still we see these whom the world considers “clever” making big mistakes, and a question inevitably arises: “Don’t these people have a mind and knowledge?” 

      Very often we hear and read that clever and talented people fail; and suffer some tragedy as a result.  Why does this happen? 

Because a man can be clever but not wise.

    There are three types of people. Which one are you?

1.        Neither Clever nor Wise

      These are they which talk nonsense, and cannot control their emotions. They need nothing but drugs, alcohol, games, and pornography… It does not matter how old they are:  20, 40, 60… when they were a child they were ignorant and now, though they are grown, they still are.            Before they had a baby-bottle, but now they carry a large bottle of alcohol.  There is no difference, only the size of their body has changed.

The Word of God speaks about such in Jeremiah 4:22.

"My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good."

2.        Clever but not Wise

     These are well-educated. Their intellect is high (concerning the IQ test), but such people are rather self-confident and proud.  These people might be smart in regard to the world’s system, but they are fools when it comes to the things concerning relationships, family, and things of eternal value. 

     We assume to better a man’s mind will result in his success, happiness, prosperity, and positive style of life, but it is not always like this.  If we look at the statistics, we can see people who are in prison that are very clever, well educated and skilled.  The criminal code of any country includes punishment not only for robbery and murder but for speculative enterprise, blackmail, espionage, and so on.  We cannot say that Hitler, Stalin, Voltaire were silly people.  They just didn’t have wisdom. 

     Not everyone who seeks after knowledge receives the benefits of wisdom.  Why?  They don’t seek after God’s wisdom.  There is a difference between God’s wisdom and man’s.  James 3:14-15 says, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”

        James also teaches us that a man can only experience true wisdom when he knows God.  All wisdom comes from Him and being arrogant and prideful will keep it from you.  A humble man is open to be taught and directed.  Proud people lead themselves to a dead-end.        In 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 we are convinced that wisdom is much more than education or any knowledge.  It says, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God"s sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."  So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours…”

        Today some Christians leave God saying they have a prospect of a new job and they have to make money first.  They are wise in the world’s sight but foolish in God’s sight.  Other Christian people want to marry a nonbeliever.  It is not wise.  When we have a covenant with God, we have a covenant with our spouse before God.  God is the link in our Christian marriage. 

        Truly wise men ask for advice from God and follow his will.  But, if a man lives only by his own will, he is not wise but a fool. 

3.        Clever and Wise

     Jesus Christ is the example in how to live life on Earth.  Look at the Gospel.  How many times was Jesus provoked to conflict but never yielded to it?  How many theological questions were asked of Him, but His answers always made his adversary keep silent?  He kept silent where it was required, but when He started speaking nobody could silence Him.                Each man, whether ordinary, academic, or professional, needs wisdom wise acts and deeds. To be wise means not only to be educated but filled with the Holy Ghost.  Only the Holy Spirit gives us real wisdom. 

HEAR THE SECRETS OF WISDOM

1.  Learn from God’s word.  Proverbs 4:5 says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.”

God’s word gives us wisdom.  There is a wise teaching in the Bible for every situation in your life; about family, money, labor…  We should obey God’s word.  This is wisdom.

2.  Move away from evil. Proverbs 14:16 says, “A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.”

If a clever man falls down into a hole he is able to get out of it, but a foolish man falls into every hole.  A wise man is better than them both; he can see a hole before hand and go around it. 

3. Keep yourself in humility. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

One of the greatest evils is pride.  When a man is full of pride, wisdom leaves him. 

4.  Associate with wise people.  Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

What does a wise man do?  He finds a skilled and wise man who has reached success and he associates with him, asks questions and listens to him.  A foolish man only talks about himself to show his knowledge and he associates with reckless people. 

5. Trust God.  James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

There will be situations that you have to make an important decision.  You can take advice from anyone, but God has the best answer.  God can and will speak to you.  He has so many ways to answer you if you just seek Him and His will. 

6.  Accept advice.  Proverbs 24:6 says, “…in a multitude of counselors there is safety.”

The scripture says it is important to listen to advice and to search to become wise.  Look for wisdom, the Bible says we must desire to have it, and step by step it will come into our lives.