We are the most technologically advanced society ever. With telescopes, we can peer into deep space and see far away galaxies. With microscopes, we can see the basic building blocks of matter. And, after thousands of years of human experience, we now understand the basic foundations of life and can determine the intricacies that bring about human life. But, with all these scientific advances, humanity still struggles with how to live life (the headlines of the news reveal the everyday struggle). We know much about life, but we do not know how to live it. And, for that, we ask the question, who knows best how to live life?
When any discussion centers on how to live life, the word “wisdom” is the right word to center the discussion. However, even with the theme of wisdom, there are many proposals for how to gain wisdom. For many people, the way to wisdom is found in science. For others, the way to wisdom is simply found in awareness.
The Bible holds yet another proposal for the way to wisdom. Wisdom in Scripture is rooted in “the fear of the LORD”, as Proverbs explains, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9:10). What is the fear of the Lord? It is not the fear that makes me want to run away. It is a reverence and awe that makes me want to stay and listen, characterized by humility and obedience. Quite simply, it is the recognition that God is God and I am not. True wisdom, then, cannot be found without a humble relationship with the living God, who is “wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom” (Isa 28:29). Therefore, true wisdom cannot be found in the knowledge, goodness or reason of mankind. True wisdom cannot be found in science or awareness. All of that knowledge is helpful, but ultimately wisdom is found in a relationship with the truly wise one, the living God.
So, who knows best how to live life? Of course, the living God does, for he created us and the world in which we live. And, so we humbly stay with him and listen to him and obey him, and “lean not on our own understanding” (Prov 3:5).