Traits Of Godly Wisdom And Examples Of Those Who Have Displayed Them

By Carol Evans


To many today's world is a place that is rapidly changing, and not always for the good. Civility seems to be a thing of the past in many ways. Technology has made life easier, but it has also brought out the worst in many who take advantage of it. Reflecting on some of the traits that comprise Godly wisdom is a good way to evaluate our own strengths and weaknesses.

Wisdom can be defined in a lot of ways. According to many theologians, God shows how wise He is by choosing the best goals and creating the best means to achieve them. Wise men obey God's commands. The Book of Proverbs says that becoming wise starts with fearing the Lord. From the Book of James comes a list of characteristics that exemplify God like judgment.

Humility is a virtue no one has exemplified better than Christ. He was willing to die for the sake of others. On the way to Golgotha Christ was shamed, scorned, humiliated, and ridiculed. He bore all that with grace. Being humble doesn't prevent anyone from questioning God. Jesus did that on the cross. Humility is accepting the answers you get. This Jesus did without anger or bitterness. He chose to become a servant of the Lord.

Consideration is one virtue found in those who are wise. Considerate people have empathy toward others. They have a smile for everyone. Having a pleasant demeanor doesn't just lighten the load of their day, it lightens the load of everyone they have contact with during the day. Considerate people have good manners. This is more than please and thank you. It is the willingness to treat everyone the way they wish to be treated.

Wise people love peace. These are folks who solve problems and create unity instead of division. After Christ, many consider Mohandas Gandhi to have been the most peace loving man who ever lived. He lived out his commitment to nonviolence both publicly and privately.

Merciful people are compassionate, quick to forgive, and kind to others. Patrick Ferguson, a British soldier during the Revolutionary War is a famous example of someone showing mercy on the battlefield. This expert marksman had General George Washington in his sights, except he believed you should not shot someone who can't see you. His conscious required that he stand up so he could be seen rather than ambushing an enemy soldier. If it had not been for his mercy, George Washington might not have survived the war.

Wise people are sincere. They aren't false or dishonest. These are individuals you can count on to tell you what they think, in a respectful way, resist gossiping, and not judging. Everyone knows people who say one thing when you are in the room and something else after you have left.

The path to wisdom can be bumpy. Most fail repeatedly to live up to the examples wise women and men set. That's not an excuse to stop trying. Every day is a new beginning with a new chance to get it right.




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