Submitted by Pastor David Klappenbach, First Lutheran Church, Rock Port

If you had the chance to ask our Lord for anything, what would you ask? Financial security, successful children, good health, notoriety.
Earlier this week the readings for morning prayer directed me to 3rd chapter of 1 Kings. God asks the newly anointed King of Israel what do you want me to give you. Solomon who is new and young to this position of ruling God’s people asks for wisdom to rule the people of God in a fair and just way, to know the difference between good and evil. That was a good move Solomon! And it pleased the Lord that Solomon asked for wisdom and not riches.
Sometimes we tell people to use their brains – to be wise – when making good and right decisions. Wrong decisions come from thoughtless judgment. Many people have come to equate wisdom with knowledge. If some knows a lot about a certain subject many will say that person is wise. But we also know many knowledgeable people who have not acted very wise. So we might say that person may be smart but does not have common sense.
Although my dad did not agree with my grandfather’s politics, he did say that he was a wise man. This was wisdom acquired through years of living, of experiencing the mistakes of life, the knocks that come at us, and learning from them. After going through all that life has to offer, you begin to discover what works and what does not. And of course this is good. In process wisdom is gained.
The letter of James is one of the Letters in the New Testament that stresses putting ones faith into action. It is very practical book. It is full of wisdom when it comes to living the faith. “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5
In the Old Testament we read, “The beginning of knowledge (wisdom) is the fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 1:7. To be wise is seek God and his will for our lives. To give Him honor and praise and thanks.
To seek wisdom from above is to trust in God who loves us through Jesus Christ who gave his life for us on the Cross for our sins and bring us back into relationship with God. It means to know God as a Father who loves us and cares deeply for us. It means to discover that He cares for us a very personal way and there is not one facet of life that our loving Father does not touch or is involved in. Our Lord is with us on the mountain tops and when we find ourselves in the deepest valleys of sorrow and death. To know God like this is the beginning of wisdom from above. To have wisdom is to be in relationship with God. And that is what it is all about.