Wisdom?

So, I read this part of the Proverbs and thought, "This is an easy one."  But then I started to realize how I'm not always wise.  And also how I may not understand the exact meaning.  How Jesus described those who claim to be wise.  This is what came to mind.

Proverbs 3:13-20

Wisdom brings understanding.  It's more profitable than silver, gold and rubies.  With all the stock market stuff happening.  It's easy to see this is true!  I just can't trust in money.  I need to trust in God.

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,

those who gain understanding,

14 for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

It reminds me of this verse:

Philippians 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
NIV

In this Proverb we are taught the results of being wise.

16 Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;

those who hold her fast will be blessed.

Jesus turned things upside down and backwards.  It's actually not the wealthy who are counted wise but the foolish.  The weak will shame the strong.  

1 Corinthians 1:27-31
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
NIV

Now that describes me: foolish, weak, lowly, with faith and every once in awhile wisdom.  Jesus has become my wisdom.  I can do anything through His strength!  In the Old Testament, there are many rules.  But, man just can't follow through.  Man even added to them making things more difficult.  I talked to a friend who's a Jew, and she said that now they've added so many rules to the Old Testament no one knows what to do!  But that's not really wisdom.  True wisdom comes from God.  It brings understanding.  Jesus fulfilled the law.

I love this story, it's one of my favorites.  We probably wouldn't notice him.  Unless maybe to run and hide- because he was a tax collector.  He was short and wealthy.  Zacchaeus had to climb into a tree to see Jesus.  If his wife was with him, she'd say, "Zacc!  Get down from there this minute."  Jesus was very pleased.  Throughout the New Testament there are many people like this that Jesus saw.  He looked for real people, not fakes.  Of course, the people muttered.  Maybe being wise is not worrying about what other people think and doing what we know is right.

Luke 19:1-10
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
NIV

This is amazing.  God created the heavens and the earth.   The earth was created out of wisdom.  He is timeless so He knew what we would need to survive on our planet.  And He created the heavens in understanding.  I was so excited to hear that lightening carries chemicals which actually brings nutrients into the soil.  The only "know it all" is definitely God.

19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,

by understanding he set the heavens in place;

20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

NIV

So, what is wisdom?  Zacchaeus was wise- he sought Jesus even though he looked foolish.   He called Him, "Lord."  The widow was wise, she gave Jesus all of her money.  In the dictionary it says wisdom is, "accumulated knowledge, good judgement, attitude, or course of action."  Hmmm... following Jesus is the wisest decision I ever made!  I see wisdom as applying knowledge from the Bible to the realities of our lives.