Stewardship III - Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge

This post has been sitting in "draft mode" for over three years. I thought I would finish and post. 

Part three of understanding stewardship is the importance of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in stewarding the sphere that God has given us. These three words are seen together often, particularly in Proverbs.

Pro 24:3 By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; And by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

This three words, Wisdom, Understanding, and knowledge have been at the center of my thinking for many years. Without them we cannot build successfully. Without them we cannot build something that will last into eternity. We need wisdom, understanding, and knowledge if we are going to be good stewards of all that God has given us. Just because I am writing about these three words and their impact on stewardship doesn't mean I understand them fully or even partially. What I do know is that if I want to build anything with a sense of permanency, have it be established, have it stand the test of time and become a place of resource and life for others I need the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that comes from God.

The Source

Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge all have their source in God. 

Proverbs 2:6 states, "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." 

As wise stewards any attempt at faithfulness, growth, or increase in our sphere must start with a focus on the Lord and begin to know His ways.

To often we find ourselves focusing on patterns of living, thought processes, and ideas which have as their source in our culture's way of conducting business. Whether it is in our relationships, work ethic, marriage, finances, or our personal life we take our lead from what is popular or practical by our cultures standards and not by what God says is wise.

The book of Proverbs is a great book to begin reading to inform our mind. The writer of Proverbs challenges its readers, to Listen, to Hear (as in Hear my son); Wisdom is crying out (in the noisy street) asking us to pay attention to God's words and his ways. If God is the source of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge then it is important that we turn our ear and hearts in His direction.

To do this we have to put ourselves in a position to where we are listening. The thrust of Proverbs 2:6 is that the Lord is GIVING wisdom. The Lord is not holding back. There is not hesitancy or unwillingness to give wisdom, understanding or knowledge to those asking. Instead Proverbs challenge is that we not only listen, but not forget, but instead keep what God has given to us. Proverbs 3:1 says, "My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments." The Lord is the source of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. We have to listen if we are going to receive what the Lord is giving.

Skillfull Workers

When God was looking for craftsmen to work on Aaron's garments and to build the ark he gave Moses the names of specific men (it could have been women as well) whose skill sets included Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding....

Exo 28:3  "You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me. 

Exo 31:1-5  Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 

Paul's Prayer

Paul in his letter to the Colossians is that they would have spiritual wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of his will. Our walk, our ability to please the Father and our fruitfulness are dependent on us obtaining these three qualities. 

Col 1:9-12  For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 

Where Do We Start?

Pray

Let's start by praying for these three qualities to be present in our lives. Use Colossians 1;9-12 as the basis of your prayer. 

Read

Spend time reading God's word. Also read good books that will challenge your thinking. I enjoy reading the Old Testament stories. They are filled with faith, courage, hope, failure and the grace of God. 

Renewed Your Mind

Our purpose is that we will be transformed through a renewed mind. So that we can approve God's will in a broken world. A will that is Good, Acceptable and Perfect. 

Daniel our Example

Daniel and his friends succeeded in a pagan land because God endowed them with Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. They didn't bow to the pressures of the country they lived and neither were they hampered by previous rituals which could no longer be fulfilled. They were light and salt in Babylon, filled with Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. They stood out and proved that God's will was Good, Acceptable and Perfect.