Seek Wisdom

Seek
Written By Patrick Burch

OPENING THOUGHT

How many times have you heard, “Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime”?

The saying is popular because it tackles a common mistake leaders make—spoon feeding their followers instead of training them to be independent.

Parents spoil children who grow up unable to provide for themselves. Managers adopt the attitude, “If you want something done right, do it yourself,” and get burned out because they failed to delegate. Church leaders micromanage, only to see their numbers shrink because they didn’t trust their congregation with God’s work.

Every generation must seek God’s wisdom so that his mission can continue until the Lord returns. Too many of us settle for letting the elders do all the heavy lifting. Every Christian should be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).

Wisdom, someone has said, is “knowledge with the knower left in.” In other words, wisdom doesn’t passively receive information; it puts knowledge into practice.

What would our church look like if every member actively sought God’s wisdom for living?

EXPLORING GOD’S WORD

1 Kings 3:9-14

  • What was Solomon’s answer to God’s unconditional offer? What does this say about the king’s evaluation of wisdom?

  • What was Solomon asking for? Was he simply interested in factual knowledge? What’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

  • Why do you think Solomon valued wisdom so highly?

  • Did Solomon always live according to the wisdom God gave him? What does his life reveal about seeking wisdom and continuing to prize it?

Proverbs 2:1-5

  • Notice the verbs: “receive,” “treasure,” “call out,” and “seek.” What do these words suggest about the effort required to gain wisdom, and why do we sometimes expect wisdom to come without intentional pursuit?

  • How does Solomon describe the value of wisdom? What does this contrast how we actually prioritize it in daily life?

  • Verse 5 links seeking wisdom with understanding the fear of the Lord. How does actively seeking wisdom help us put God first instead of relying on our own understanding?

Matthew 7:24-27

  • How does Christ define wisdom here?

  • What happens to the life of passive observers who merely hear the word of Christ without obeying it?

James 3:13-18

  • What are some warning signs that someone’s wisdom is not from above but instead is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic”?

  • How is the wisdom from above described? How is this description different from “being smart”? Is James describing information or action?

  • What are some practical ways we can foster an environment in which individuals actively seek God’s wisdom in our churches and homes?

Patrick Burch
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