Wisdom

For several days I studied, pondered, and prayed on what wisdom is. The scripture in Mosiah 8:20-21 seems key to learning what I need.

20 Oh how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with
his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the
children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she
should rule over them!
21 Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from
the shepherd and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of
the forest.

These scriptures are quite an indictment. I have had to take a look at my blindness and impenetrable understanding. I have found that I try to seek wisdom, but not knowing where to find it or even what it really is, I have been wild and fleeing from the shepherd.

I have determined that there are two types of wisdom. The first is a worldly wisdom. You are judged to be smart by the world or yourself. This type with eventually be confounded by the weak (Alma 32:23, D&C 133:58) and perish (2Nephi27:26). This kind of wisdom is foolish and built upon a sand foundation. Being puffed up with this type of wisdom makes God despise us (2Nephi 9:42).

The other is wisdom with a capital “W”. This one is a little tricky because there are three parts or levels of this wisdom. The first as it applies to us, second as it applies to God, and third the Wisdom God gives to us. The third is more like stepping stones to bridge the gap between the first two types. The Wisdom that applies to us starts in knowing that God knows everything and that compared to Him we know nothing. For us it is also keeping the commandments, service, knowing how to be saved, trusting God to do what He has promised, and taking care of our bodies. This is not a comprehensive list. Understanding our relative ignorance is key to the rest. We won't do those other things to a level that brings salvation with out first knowing that what we think doesn't matter unless is comes from God through the Holy Ghost.

These along with the choice to be baptized, open the gate to wisdom's path. This path ultimately leads to God and knowing what He does. We have to ask, be humble, be wise (see above paragraph), and then treasure the wisdom He imparts in our hearts, only revealing to others what God commands you to.

Ultimate Wisdom is that which God possesses. He knows all and always does what is just, right, good, etc... All he does is for a wise purpose, mostly that we know not.

The great thing about wisdom is that it never matters how much we have as long as we treasure what we do have and use it. Wisdom receives wisdom (D&C 88:40). We learn it line upon line, precept upon precept (D&C 28:30). WE have to be humble to get Wisdom and we have to be wise to be humble. Once we start on the pat it seems that God will keep giving until we choose to leave the path by boasting and depending on our own wisdom.

Asking means seeking after wisdom. We are commanded to seek first by faith (D&C ). If we don't have enough faith we seek it by studying good books. I think that the study is to increase our faith, because all that we study will avail us nothing until we receive it in the Spirit of the Lord, which is wisdom and understanding. Otherwise we begin to depend on our own wisdom and we are off the path. God has promised us in D&C 111:11 ...”be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and I will order al things for your good as fast as ye are able to receive them.” I believe we will become wisest the fastest by concentrating on entering the path and continuing forward; being humble, keeping the commandments, learning how to be saved, and most importantly, trusting God's wisdom to keep us safe. Exactly what learning by faith means is not exactly clear to me yet.