We live in a fast-paced, rapidly-changing world. Information is coming at us constantly and from every direction, making it imperative for us to be equipped with the ability to process it all–or to know when to turn it all off and disconnect. Thankfully we have a timeless and God-inspired resource to help us—the Bible. Although the Bible provides us with a variety of moral and ethical principles to guide our decision-making, the remaining 80+% of life’s situations aren’t so clearly outlined.
How do we make sense of the world? How do we make sense of our past, our present circumstances, and the future? How do we discern our purpose in life and cultivate our identities as a result?
God-given wisdom is the key. The only wise God (Rom. 16:27) said that if any of us lacks wisdom, we should ask of Him and He is capable and willing to give it to us (Js. 1:5). We need wisdom to know which job to take or whether we should leave our job for another or to start a new business. We need wisdom to know how to effectively relate to our colleagues, clients, and contractors. We need wisdom to know how to speak, when to speak, and whether to speak at all. We simply need God’s wisdom every single day in every situation.
I like Tim Keller’s definition of wisdom: “Knowing how to use every moment strategically” (Every Good Endeavor, 217). And this is needed in every season of life whether you’ve just graduated from college and starting your career or whether you’ve just ended your career and processing retirement.
Here’s my working definition (let me know what you think): Wisdom is the knowledge, skill, and character needed to live a godly and strategic life.