True Wisdom
“The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” said Paul hundreds of years ago and the world’s wisdom today is just as foolish in God’s eyes as it was then (1 Cor.1:1827 and 2:6-10). Since Paul penned these words man’s wisdom has increased manifold in almost every area except in the things concerning God. Knowledge has been increased as Daniel predicted, in Daniel 12. Men can now fly at the speed of sound and split the atom, but still the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Daniel wrote this many hundreds of years ago. We see today that Daniel and Paul correctly assessed the present-day situation.
What are the wise of the world thinking about today? It certainly is not about God! Their lives and minds are filled to the brim. Some work all day and spend their evenings in night schools and self-improvement courses; others are engaged fulltime in the Colleges and Universities, while every industry runs courses, seminars and conventions where personnel are taught the latest methods, procedures and systems to increase sales, production, etc.
There is so much to know about any subject. All of this worldly wisdom has created great prosperity, advances in science, more free time for sports and recreation, but no time for God. Boating, bowling and football are all on the increase. Here again there is much to learn and hours of practice to become proficient. One does not take an expensive yacht out into the open sea without hours of study in navigation. All of these things are part of the wisdom of this world, which is so foolish to God. When we have done it all, what have we really got? So we have become an expert in electronics, an authority in accounting, a specialist in medicine, a crack golfer or champion bowler – so what? Life surely is more than this. All of these wise, worldly leaders take time to lie down and die, and then what becomes of their accomplishments? It’s easy to see the folly of the fool Jesus described in His parable, who pulled down his barns and built greater ones, only to die and leave it all to others. But what about that person who lives in our shoes, who perhaps hasn’t been quite so successful and who hasn’t yet died? Have we learned from the mistakes of others to “lay up our treasure where moths and rust can’t get at it and where no thieves can break through and steal?” (Matt. 6:19-21). Where is our treasure? Our hearts and minds are where that is. This is why the wisdom of this world is so foolish with God. Their treasure is here, and all their wisdom, which is considerable, goes no higher than their heads and lasts no longer than their life. This is not the case with those who have set their affection upon things above. Their thoughts are constantly upon the things of God. We don’t find them in business, industry, sports or the Universities. God’s name is rarely mentioned except in a profane way. It is the duty of man to glorify God’s Holy Name and it isn’t being done. Man is using his time, talents and wisdom for worldly things.
No wonder all this is foolishness with God and will soon be destroyed when God sends his Son to fill the whole earth with His Glory. In the meantime, are we being wise? What are we thinking about all day long? It had better be different from those around us. Those that “Think upon His Name shall be mine, says the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.”
Bro Moses Komanya (Mwanza, Tanzania)
