WISDOM: A NECESSITY FOR AN IMPACTFUL LIFE - Dr. Felix A. Oginni

WISDOM: A NECESSITY FOR AN IMPACTFUL LIFE
By
Dr. Felix A. Oginni

Every being needs God’s wisdom in thoughts, utterances and in whatever he or she does.

What is wisdom?

Wisdom can be explained as follows:
(i) Good sense that enables one to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience
(ii) Wisdom is a wise decision, a good sense shown in a way of thinking, judgment, or action
(iii) It can be likened to accumulated learning which is accumulated knowledge of life or of a sphere of activity that has been gained through experience
(iv) Wisdom can also be an opinion widely held, that almost everyone seems to share or express
(v) Wisdom is sayings as in ancient teachings or sayings

‘My people perish because they lack knowledge’. To live a successful life you need wisdom.
In the holy book, wisdom literature is exemplified by the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes in the Bible, and the Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus in the Apocrypha.

Wisdom of Solomon is Apocryphal book of Bible. It is a book of the Roman Catholic Bible and Protestant Apocrypha that expounds Jewish doctrines in the terminology of Greek philosophy. It was probably written in the 1st century BC. Ecclesiasticus is a book of the Bible, which is a book of teachings in the Roman Catholic Bible and the Protestant Apocrypha.

Apocrypha refers to books of the Bible that are included in the Vulgate and Septuagint versions of the Christian Bible, but not in the Protestant Bible or the Hebrew canon. It also refers to a group of Christian writings dating from the early centuries AD that are not included in the Bible.

A Wise man builds his house footed on the rock. Jesus is the rock. Jesus is the Bread of Life. You need to draw closer, chew and feed on the inspirations provided by His teachings.

How to be a Wise Man. The beginning of being wise is to appreciate and fear the Creator of the Universe. He is the Controller of all happenings anywhere in the universe.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHARACTER, RELATIONSHIP AND WORDS OF A WISE MAN

A Yoruba adage says lost words are sort for, using proverbs.
The word of God creates, establishes, and manifests in His Glory. Proverbs in the Bible is devoted to founding any lost son or daughter. All one needs to do is search for the words in the Proverbs. The entrance of His words bringeth light. We should always endeavour to let our words mix with faith. When this is allowed to happen, and the word is faithfully engaged, anything built upon such words shall be profitable. There is no profit in receiving words as words of man.

A wise man can be identified by a combination of three characteristics, namely:
(i) His Character
(ii) His relationships and
(iii) His words

His Character
A wise person need to successfully pass through five character scales, indicated below:
1. Should be teachable. And not intractable.
Should be receiver and lover of instructions (Prov 18-15 and 19-20)
Should grow in wisdom (Prov. 1-5, 9-9, 10-14)

2. A wise person should be righteous. And not be wicked.
5 points distinguishes the wise:
(i) Fearing the Lord (Prov. 1-7, 14-16). This is the beginning of wisdom
(ii) Hating what is false. Prov 13-5
(iii) Shunning evil. Prov 3-7, 14-16, 16-6
(iv) Doing what is righteous. Prov 2-20
(v) Speaking the truth. Prov 22-21

3. A wise person should be humble, and not proud (Prov 15-33)

4. Being self-controlled, and not taking rash decisions. Should overcome temperament and control his/her actions always.
A wise man has capacity for self-controlled temperament (Prov. 29-11), a calm spirit (Prov. 17-27) and a slow response to becoming angry (Prov. 29-8,11). His actions are exhibited with cautions and not hasty (Prov. 19-2). He thinks before he speaks (Prov. 12-23) and (Prov. 15-2).

5. A wise person is forgiving and not vindictive. There are 4 points to be used in packaging this person.
(i) He should be patient (Prov. 19-11 )
(ii) He should be concerned about goodwill / peace. (Prov. 14-9)
(iii) He forgives those who wrong him. (Prov. 10-12, 17-9)
(iv) He is not vindictive. (Prov. 20-22)

His Relationships
A wise person makes sure he/she maintains responsible and reliable relationships first to his/her Lord, then to his/her family and to others around, such as friends and neighbors.

To The Lord
There are five ways in which a wise person can have relationship to the Lord. The first relationship is to the Lord.
- Fear the Lord. This is the beginning of wisdom, while the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident(In Prov. 14-16). A wise man knows that in the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and that a place of refuge is guaranteed Prov. 14-26 . The Bible speaking in Prov. 15-16 says “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble.” And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil, Prov. 16-6.

- Trusts in the Lord. The bible says in Prov. 3-5 that you should Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.

- Ever mindful of the Lord. Prov3-6 says that In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

- He chooses the Lord’s way/wisdom 8-10-11. For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

- Submission to the Lord’s discipline. Prov. 1-2-3 . The Bible says in Prov 3-11-13 “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction. Verse 12 says “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father, the son in whom he delights.”

To His Family:
To Parents
The wise should respect parents listen to them and seek to bring honor and joy to them. A wise person should be diligent in works so as to bring honor and joy to the parents. (Prov. 10-5).

To Spouse
- Appreciate your spouse as a gift from the Lord (Prov. 18-22, 19-14).
- Discover how virtuous your spouse could be. Prov. 31-10 says “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies”.
- Be faithful (Prov. 5-15-20 ) and trust him/her, you will never lack gain. (Prov. 31-11).

To Children
The relationships of the wise to children are as follows:
(i) Love them, (Prov.3-12, 13-24)
(ii) Be concerned about them, (Prov.1-8-9, 9-18)
(iii) Train them, (Prov.22-6). You will have access to the following:
(a) Peace and joy (Prov.29-17) and giving the child honour and well being (Prov.1-8-9, 4-9, 19-18, 23-13-14)
(b) Teaching / instructing them (Prov.1-10; Prov. 5-7;Prov.28-7)
(c) Disciplining them, through verbal corrections, (Prov.13-1)
and by physical discipline, (Prov.13-24, 23-13-14)
(iv) Provide for their physical needs (Prov.21-20; Prov. 27-27) and
Spiritual heritage, (Prov.14-26, 20-7)

Relationships to friends and neighbours
Value your his friends, (Prov. 27-10), be constant to them, (Prov. 17-11, 18-24), and give them counsel, (Prov.27-9, 17, 28-23).

Relationship to neighbors should be as follows:
(i) Fulfill obligations, (Prov.3-27-28)
(ii) Strive for peace, (Prov.3-29-30)
(iii) Don’t outstay any welcome, (Prov. 25-17)
(iv) Don’t deceive or mislead them, (Prov.16-29, 26-18-19)

His/her Words
The words of a wise man are considered in the context of its power, character, and source.

The words have power and limitation. It has power of life and death, (Prov.12-6, 13-14, 15-4, 18-21) and power to heal or wound, (Prov.11-9, 11-18, 15-4, 30, 16-24). The limitation has no substitute for deeds, (Prov.14-3), cannot alter facts, (Prov.26-23-26) nor compel response, (Prov.29-19).

Characteristics:
(i) Honest, and truthful words (Prov.12-22, 16-13)
(ii) Few, not many, (Prov.10-19) and should not be:
boastful (Prov.27-2), argumentative,(Prov.7-14), contentious, (Prov.29-9) gossip revealing secrets, (Prov.11-13, 20-19) spreading slander (Prov.10-18, 26-20-22)
(iii) Calm and not emotional. They should be:
rational, (Prov.15-28, 17-27) gentle and peaceful, (Prov.15-1, 18)
persuasive, (Prov.25-15)
(iv) Apt, not untimely, (Prov.15-23).

The source of a wise person’s words will tell of his/her heart/character, companions, and reflections. The heart/character of the words should positively be righteous. And negatively shouldn’t be proud, (Prov.13-10) and not hateful, (Prov.26-24, 28).

For companionship, he/she should emulate the wise and not associate with fools as iron sharpens iron (Prov.13-20, 27-17).

His reflections should be light to others (Prov.15-28).

To develop wisdom to maximize your destiny, seek more knowledge from the book of Solomon - Proverbs.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; (and) the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit, Eccl 7-8. Take wisdom and be passionate to seek knowledge and understanding. Remain blessed in the Lord, your God, your Creator, your Provider, and your Defender.