The Word of Wisdom

.... In our previous posting we discussed the Word of Knowledge, a spiritual gift that the Holy Spirit uses in order to alert us to a situation -- but in itself, it did not explain the particulars of that situation (the ‘how’ or ‘why’). In another spiritual gift we will see the opposite: something may seem to occur in the normal course of events and may seem to have an obvious explanation --but then the Holy Spirit will grant a Word of Wisdom which peers beneath the surface to show us what is really going on.

.... For example, let’s take the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a parcel of land and kept part of the price for themselves. They laid the rest at the apostle’s feet, as a gift to the church, while claiming that it was the full amount. And this is something the Scriptures would condemn:

.... "Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain."

(Proverbs 25:14)

.... At this point, a Word of Wisdom was given to Peter to reveal what had really happened. He miraculously knew that Satan had tempted them to conceived this lie in their hearts, and he called them on their lie – and we all know how the rest of this story goes (Acts 5:1-11). For they were not merely lying to men, but to the Holy Spirit, and they were actually hoping to be honored for so doing!

.... Each time a Word of Knowledge or a Word of Wisdom is granted, it is a distinct, separate gift from God, even if He works through the same people with the same gifts frequently. Remember our example with Solomon, in the previous posting! God has not set His spiritual gifts on auto pilot, nor put us in charge of using them! But He grants the gifts through us as it pleases Him, and as the occasion calls for it:

.... "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."

(1 Corinthians 12:11)

.... Each time we see one of the spiritual gifts they have the same, ultimate intention of all spiritual gifts: that we may be witnesses for Jesus, whether in preaching about Him to the unsaved, or promoting a wholesome fear of God in the church itself.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 8