Understanding

As Proverbs 4:7 tells us "in all thy getting, get understanding." In other words; understanding should be at the top of our spiritual grocery list!

But how is understanding spiritual? ..  I'm glad you asked.

You see, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding kind of float in the same boat, but have different operations. knowledge is more factual and informational, while understanding guides one in how and when to apply or perceive that knowledge. Wisdom is really above both knowledge and understanding in that you can have knowledge and understanding and still not have wisdom. But how?

The Bible says that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Proverbs 9:10. But why should or would we fear someone we've been told loves us? (Oh yea, God loves you. If you weren't already aware of this) Well, this kind of fear is referring to a deep reverence, awareness, or yielding to the understanding that God is in and above everything and everyone, and that believing that truth and honoring God in that way inherently results in wisdom. Pretty simple don't you think?

The Bible also refers to two different types of wisdom. That of the world, and then godly wisdom.

'And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.” For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.' - 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

I'd even liken that to Jesus speaking about blindness.

'Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.' John 9:39-41

The pharisee's "blindness," was not a physical blindness, but rather a spiritual one - that of pride. In not discerning or caring to discern Jesus as Lord they have already deceived themselves in their own hearts. This is the reason Jesus was so stearn with them. They had every chance to humble themselves before the creator and come to Him as they were, yet they wanted to have it all put together. Wow.

How true can this be about you and me? Feeling like we have to have it all together before coming before God. Which couldn't be further from the truth - in fact the exact opposite.

So in close, I feel we have unraveled just the surface of what it means to have understanding - that true understanding or wisdom only comes from God, and that we can become a reservoir of that wisdom to the exact extent in which we are willing to say "I don't see, but you do Lord. I ask that you give me your eyes and your heart Lord. In Jesus name, amen."

Let's do this together!