Perspective – The Presidential Prayer Team

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. – Proverbs 2:6

The primary distinction between knowledge and wisdom is that wisdom involves a healthy dose of perspective and the ability to make sound judgments about a subject while knowledge is simply knowing. The bridge from simply knowing to wisdom is understanding. Anyone, according to dictionary.com can become knowledgeable about a subject by reading, researching, and memorizing facts. It is wisdom, however, that acquires understanding and the ability to determine which facts are relevant in certain situations. Wisdom takes knowledge and applies it with discernment based on expectations, evaluation, and lessons learned. This everyday explanation might suffice but, for those who follow Christ, true wisdom is imparted by the Lord alone. A Biblical and spiritual perspective is essential for true wisdom to be exercised.

At a time when the nation is perplexed by issues on every side, and individuals are beset with problems or tragedies, believers need to possess divine wisdom. But wisdom for its own sake is useless. It needs to fill a vessel for the Lord, one He can use to bring solutions to problems that weigh people down, to point them to sources of help for the problems that they are enduring.

America is a nation puffed up with knowledge, but often lacking in wisdom. Pray for a greater reliance upon the Lord for true wisdom by members of Congress as they propose, debate on, and vote for laws that will have a binding effect on people across the nation.

Today’s Verse: Proverbs 2:6

For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: James 1:2-8

²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.