Then, you can take the ‘search for gold’ analogy even farther. Panhandlers for gold, who look for it in streams and shallower places, have to sift through a lot of water, dirt and stones to find it. This seems to be particularly relevant in our contemporary world where conspiracy theories, fake news, gossip, distortions of truth and even gerrymandering of congressional maps to favor voters from a certain party abound! All these efforts by special interest groups have to be discarded to find the gold treasures of wisdom. It requires a resistance to naivete and group think and may feel like a laborious job. But it is worth it if one is to represent the truth of God or even integrity as a secular person in every realm of research. And God promises to reward this kind of search for wisdom:

If If you train your heart to listen when I speak and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment. . . Then you will discover all that is just, proper, and fair, and be empowered to make the right decisions as you walk into your 10 destiny. When wisdom wins your heart and revelation breaks in, true pleasure enters your soul. 11 If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you and understanding will protect you 13 from making poor choices. It will rescue you from evil in disguise and from those who speak duplicities. For 12 14 they have left the paths of righteousness and walk in the ways of darkness. They take pleasure when evil 15 prospers and thoroughly enjoy a lifestyle of sin. But they’re walking on a path to nowhere, wandering away into deeper deception (Proverbs 2: 2, 9-15, Passion).

“Training one’s heart to listen to the Spirit speak” through the scriptures and “keeping one’s spirit open wide” to God’s directives are part of work required in searching and finding.

- 3. Wisdom comes from listening to wise counsel from others

Solomon, again in his wisdom!"#$%&, says “There is safety in a multitude of counselors.” (Prov. 15:22). New International “Plans fail without good advice. But they succeed when there are many advisers.” Readers’ version says: Passion ”Your plans will fall apart right in front of you if you fail to get good advice. But if you first translates that as: seek out multiple counselors, you’ll watch your plans succeed.” This is also a discipline, beloved, and cuts across the individualistic tendencies of pride that believes our own ways are right. In fact, this is especially wise advice for those who work outside of a team and are on their own in their work. Living alone or working alone can skew our thinking. We need the accountability and guidance of godly people outside our circle or thinking process who can see things we can’t and challenge our preconceived thoughts – even the fake news and justifications we build in our own defense and planning. But, if we have turned our issues over to the Lord and sought His counsel and revelation in scripture as well as gotten godly counsel that points in a unified direction, then we can be confident to act and watch God work out our situation according to His good purposes - an important safeguard against internal doubt and the insecure questioning of our decisions. The value of seeking God’s wisdom and the wisdom of others.

- 4. is exceedingly practical 4. is exceedingly practical

Finally, wisdom is not living a perfect life and never being wrong. It is applying God’s discernment to reality and approaching people and life’s circumstances with God’s understanding, grace and forgiveness. It is knowing what to say and when to say it or not to say it. It is bringing God’s perspective to difficult situations. And relationships. It is having the understanding and discernment of all the factors that may be involved in any decision – culture, personality, doctrine, mood, temperament, failures and successes. Wisdom from God, therefore, is encased in love and is “filled with peace, teachable.[g] love[h] hypocrisy[i] (peace-making) considerate and It is filled with and never displays prejudice or in any 18 form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness!” (James 3”17 Passion).

In the multitude of issues we each face in this coming year - with all its known and unknown changes - godly wisdom is what we need. And it is available to us from the fullness of God’s grace and the person of Jesus Himself, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). Beloved, listen to Him and to godly counselors, and read His Word seeking Spirit-understanding with a heart wide open, and He will guide you safely through these next months. I’m counting on this in my life and in all of our lives! Amen. Dr. Mary Lou Codman-Wilson, Pastor New Hope Global Fellowship 10/27/21