WISDOM IS BETTER THAN STRENGTH

Dearly Beloved,
WISDOM IS BETTER THAN STRENGTH
“So I said, ‘Wisdom is better than strength.’ But the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded. The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:16-18 NIV).
Recently, Nigerian senior male football team (the Super Eagles) failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations. The team and many patriotic Nigerians had thought that a win in the last match of the qualification matches will make the team to qualify for the bi-annual tournament. The team had some seeming “strength” over the opposing team. It is star-studded with an experienced coach. Above all, the fact that the last match would be played on home soil with many home supporters was another seeming advantage. However, the opposing team needed just a draw to qualify for the continental tournament. Expectedly, the opposing team applied wisdom in its approach to the match and it got the desired result in spite of the “strength” of the home team.
As the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes put it, wisdom is indeed better than strength. No matter the strength of any man, a man full of wisdom is better than such man. A wise man will achieve more than what a strong man can. However, somebody with godly wisdom will achieve far better. This kind of wisdom is “...pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17 NIV). It is not “...earthly, unspiritual, of the devil” (James 3:15 NIV). It is not shrewdness, cunning, craftiness, nor slyness. Anyone who has godly wisdom will be of great benefit to himself, others around him and even God. It will be difficult for anyone who does not have such wisdom to succeed at all or have a good success.
What is your seeming “strength”? Is it experience, education, knowledge, riches, position, or what? Godly wisdom is indeed better than any worldly strength. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5 NIV).
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).