Wisdom in a World of Information

May 29

Before the Fall of man, in the Garden of Eden, there stood a tree—the tree of life. The first man and woman lived in this paradise, eating from the tree of life, and serving as God’s co-creators in the garden he provided. They worked and built, bringing even more goodness out of the good creation.

Beside the tree of life stood another—the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. This tree contained the wisdom that these stewards would eventually need to lead well and judge rightly as God’s co-rulers in creation. But how would they attain this wisdom? Would they take it for themselves, uninvited? The penalty was death. Would they risk death to gain the wisdom of God? Or would they wait for God to give this wisdom as a gift in his own perfect time?

The book of Proverbs takes us back to this poignant moment in the garden. The good Father warns his children, “do not be wise in your own eyes.” But rather:

“Blessed are those who find wisdom…

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;

those who hold her fast will be blessed.”

We no longer live in the perfect garden. On this side of heaven, life always contains suffering and loss and challenges that feel too great to overcome. Nevertheless, we are still tasked as the image-bearers of God to co-rule his creation, bent though it may be. We are still called to serve. To lead. To steward. To be in community. To cultivate goodness from this dry ground. And to lead well and judge rightly, we will need wisdom. But how will we attain it? Will we lean on our own understanding to bring about the ends we desire? Or will we trust in the Lord, and submit our paths to him?

Join us for this summer series on wisdom from the books of James and Proverbs, May 29th – July 24th.