Hennie Symington

God alone knows the way, Knows the place where wisdom is found... Job 28:20-23

When I came to you, my brothers and sisters, to preach God's secret truth, I did not use big words and great learning. For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross. So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear, and my teaching and message were not delivered with skilful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit. Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power.  1 Corinthians 2:1-5

The immensity of knowledge and technological advances over the last few decades, leave one speechless. It is said that the theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas was probably the last learned person who was able to encompass all the knowledge of his time in his mind. Since then, knowledge has proliferated to such an extent that it would take an army of experts in every field of knowledge to know all there is to know about the universe.

There are of course people who are extremely intelligent and for whom the origin of life is no secret and no mathematical riddle is too obscure and astro-physics is an open book, and who have the power to write wonderful stories and poetry about anything under the sun. But what kind of knowledge does God have in mind when he talks about knowledge and wisdom? Surely not just book-learning, academic excellence or intellectual capability? If that was true most of us would simply fail to make the grade. Even the learned Paul was at a loss for words when talking about God’s wisdom.

Perhaps the knowledge God is referring to is spiritual intelligence – the gift of distinguishing between what is important and what isn’t; and being aware of the greatness and the immense variety of the world we live in without being overwhelmed by its complexity. This knowledge must surely include self knowledge and the ability to explore who you are, to know your good and bad points and above all to know what you believe in and what is important to you. This kind of knowledge does not require a university degree because it is available to the least as well as the greatest among us. It is the knowledge that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord please educate me in true spiritual wisdom which will help me to judge what is truly good and holy. Amen