My morning reading today was in Genesis chapters one through three. It is interesting that when I studied this passage back in September, there were parts of it that I focused on for our lesson and now as I read it in the midst of doing other studies, I see some things with different eyes.
For example, it says in Genesis 3:6 that Eve saw that the tree (its fruit) was desirable to make one wise. At least she perceived that knowing good and evil was wisdom.
I think God knew much better. He had closed their eyes to everything but good. And when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their eyes were opened . . . they now knew good and evil, and shame. Where is the wisdom in that?
I didn't ponder the wisdom aspect much when I studied it before, but now as I am studying James in our Tuesday morning class, I think of it in light of James 1:5 which says "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask of God . . ." Eve had a face to face relationship with God! She could have asked for His wisdom, but sought to find it on her own.
How like Eve we are still! We look to the world's wisdom and our eyes are opened to so much evil, thinly disguised as wisdom, wealth, and good. We often wait to seek God and His word as a last resort.
James tells us that when we ask God, He will give to us "generously and without reproach." He won't say, "What, you dummy, you can't figure this one out on your own?" No, instead He is waiting to pour out His wisdom generously.
But He warns us not to doubt Him (v. 6) because our doubt will toss us about like the waves in the wind. His desire is that we would trust His word, in which is found the truth. In James 3:17 it says this wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable (willing to yield), full of mercy and good fruits, without hypocrisy.
This is the kind of wisdom I long for.
Lord, may I strive always to seek YOUR wisdom in every situation. Help me to be willing to yield to Your truth, to Your ways that I might sow seeds of righteousness in peace!
Blessings,
Tina
