If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5 NIV
Lacking Wisdom
A recent global survey found something surprising – wisdom may appear to be shaped by cultural differences, but the core aspects of what makes someone wise are largely the same across cultures. From urban university students in Canada to villagers in South Africa, participants associated wisdom with two key characteristics: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. Reflective orientation is about people who think before acting. Socio-emotional awareness means that wise people are good at understanding and caring about the thoughts and feelings of others.
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I admire those who have the wisdom to logically think through solutions to challenging situations. Most of us aren’t that clear minded, and when tough things come, we too often act emotionally, which usually doesn’t help at all. Even the wisest of people, however, lack the wisdom for some of the biggest challenges. We just need to look to politicians and economists, who make decisions that don’t solve the problem at hand and can make things worse. So where do we turn when we need wisdom that is beyond ours? The apostle gives the answer to this question in James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Our Creator doesn’t want us making poor decisions. The One who is able to see all things, and who knows all things, has exactly the wisdom that we need for any situation. He is willing to offer that wisdom generously, if we will just ask Him for it. Through time in the Word, and in prayer, He will speak into your life and give you generous wisdom.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley