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For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8a, ESV).
How many of us could use wisdom to navigate a current situation—the next move in a complex business decision, what to say to a friend whose spouse just left, or simply how to say “no” to your teenager without causing World War III?
I love that, of the 22 spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4, one is wisdom. When we face a difficult decision, most of us have a “go-to” person we ask for advice. Why? They give good advice—not high-minded platitudes, judgments of what you did wrong, or circuitous theology about your situation being a sign of the end times.
They give you plain, actionable advice.
When we think of wisdom, we might picture an ancient individual with a beard long enough to be a safety hazard, sitting high on a mountain spouting confusing riddles. But scripturally, the gift of wisdom—often called a “word of wisdom” in charismatic circles—is far more practical. It isn’t just about possessing an impressive library of deep thoughts. It is the supernatural ability the Holy Spirit gives to apply divine truth and insight directly to concrete, complicated, real-life situations. It is the difference between knowing a lot of facts and knowing what to do with them when life seems bleak and dreary.
One of my favorite experts on spiritual gifts, C. Peter Wagner, describes the gift of wisdom as the ability to know the mind of the Holy Spirit on how knowledge should be applied to a specific need. Another of my favorite writers on the gifts of the Spirit, Sam Storms, says the word of wisdom may be the ability to articulate life-changing insights into God’s mysterious, saving purposes for mankind, both globally and in application to individuals.
My OG (Old Guy) summation of both Wagner and Storms is that the gift of wisdom is the spiritual mechanics of problem-solving for both the church and individuals who need insight. Practically, this gift doesn’t operate in a spiritual vacuum. It should light its lamp before a church leadership team makes a massive decision. I’ve seen the gift of wisdom at work when a leadership team—sometimes after hours of discussion—hears someone make a suggestion, and everyone in the room stops arguing to say, “That’s it!”
As a pastor, when someone comes to me confused, and I (through the gift of wisdom) say something that cuts through their emotional fog and brings peace, they thank me. But while they are thanking me, I’m thinking, “Where did that piece of advice come from? I’ve never said it before!”
The gift of wisdom calms life and leads us back to Jesus, where we again hear Him saying, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). So the next time your mind starts spinning in defeated perplexity, don’t try to figure things out on your own…
Talk to someone with the gift of wisdom!
The gift of wisdom plus your tangled confusion yields a good idea!