More Wisdom, Please

James 1:5 says "If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you."

I have read that many, many times.

I have prayed for wisdom many, many times. At least I thought I prayed for wisdom....

Instead, I have realized that I was praying for information and not wisdom. I came to that conclusion by studying more of the book of James.

Read James 3:17, "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy."

Wait! How does that type of wisdom help me get the answers I want from God?

In the "information age" of today we want cold, hard facts. And we expect them now!

This definition of wisdom, however, is not about facts, but about living. It carries on with the theme James starts in chapter 1 about the importance of "doing." It describes how we as Christians should live everyday.

As I attempt to grasp and live out this new understanding of wisdom in my life, I pray that you will stop to think about it also. If it sounds too difficult to live out, then go back to chapter one and remember "ask God, who gives to all generously...and it (wisdom) will be given to you."