“Walk in Wisdom toward them that Are without, Redeeming the Time.” Eph. 4:5.
By D. T. Bourdeau
WISDOM is the right use of knowledge. Prov. 15:2. Mere knowledge is not wisdom. It is beautiful material taken out of the quarry of truth, or fine timber taken out of the forest. Wisdom takes this material or this timber and fits it for, and assigns it a place in, the fine structure, the grand edifice. The difference between wisdom and knowledge is recognized in the special gifts and operations of the Spirit as follows: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:7, 8. We understand that the Spirit selects one who is consecrated and has naturally a good memory, and works through him or her in harmony with his or her natural gift, and the result is a supernatural gift of knowledge, and this gift is not to be despised. But this is not all that is requisite: wisdom is necessary and has the pre-eminence. Another faithful member of the church has natural wisdom, and humbly improves on his or her natural gift in adjusting intricate matters in or out of the church. The Spirit works through this member of the church, and the result is a supernatural gift seen in extraordinary manifestations of wisdom. Although we may not all be endowed with natural or supernatural gifts of wisdom and knowledge, yet we may and should all seek to improve in knowledge and wisdom. And the first step in wisdom is to receive help from those who are prepared to help us. This is a humble step; but it is one that acknowledges the right and leads to true exaltation. If we take this step, we shall not be inclined to become exalted because of great achievements in knowledge or great proficiency in wisdom. We are not to walk in wisdom merely with reference to ourselves. Paul commands us to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without.” This has reference not only to our actions, but also, and especially, to our words, as we learn from the very next verse: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Grace means favor. In speaking to others, we ought to aim to favor and benefit them, and not have it as our first object to strive for the mastery, or to build up ourselves in any way to the neglect or injury of others. Salt preserves itself and those things to which it is applied; so our words should be pure and have a salutary influence on ourselves and on others. If our speech was always with grace and seasoned with salt, we would never dishonor God and wound his precious cause in speaking angry and impatient words, in fretting and scolding, in censuring those who need our sympathy for having been overcome by some of Satan’s devices, or in encouraging our fellow-creatures in any wrong course. We would never engage in idle or filthy conversation, for which we shall have to render a strict account in the day of Judgment. If we walk in wisdom, we shall let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in Heaven. The expression “so shine” implies that there is a way in which our light should shine. It should not all shine at once; for the darkened and weakened vision could not bear it. Christ understood this when he said he had many things to tell his disciples, but they could not then bear them. There is an alphabet in present truth. This must be taught first; then the mind can comprehend the deep things of the kingdom. Many err in making no difference in the matter they present, either in talking the truth or in handing out our works. Again, there is danger of being censorious, passing judgment upon those who do not take hold of the truth at once, applying strong scriptures to them in way of self-defense. This is not the best course to pursue. We may not always realize the influences working upon the minds of those whom we are trying to help. They may be differently circumstanced from what we are or ever were, and we may not be in a condition to sympathize with them from our own experience, and we are liable to forget the pit whence we were taken, where the truth found us, what it has done for us, and how long the Lord has borne with us. And if others through weakness make a halt, or backslide, it is not wisdom to twit them of their error. They have been overcome, either by their own weakness or because we or others were not prepared to help them as we should. Such need pity. Their conscience smites them already, and perhaps our own conscience ought to smite us more than it does for our lacks toward them, which may have helped them materially to backslide. How careful then we ought to approach such, confessing our own wrongs if necessary. They may be tempted to regret that they ever heard the truth, until it was presented to them in a proper manner. Oh! the wisdom we need in this great work. It is not to talk everything, to anybody, and on every occasion. How many have been placed beyond the reach of the truth by such a course! There is a time to keep silence as well as a time to speak. Paul felt the force of these principles when he prefaced the words of our text with a request that his brethren should pray for him, not only that a door of utterance might be open unto him to speak the mystery of Christ; but also that he might make it manifest, as he ought to speak, verses 3, 4. If the great and wise apostle could make such a request, should we not feel to pray for ourselves, that God may give us wisdom? Should we not weigh our words, and, to use the language of the wise man, let our heart teach our mouth, and add learning to our lips? Prov. 16:23. Brethren and sisters, we may be overwhelmed with a sense of our lack of wisdom in the past, and our need of wisdom in the future. It is right that we should realize this. And, thank God, if we heed Paul’s advice, we may redeem the past.