3 Bible Stories That Teach Kids About Wisdom
King Solomon Asks for Wisdom
1 Kings 3
Bible Truth: God gives me wisdom when I ask for it!
“At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ ‘. . . And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in . . . Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.’” 1 Kings 3:5, 7, 9-12 ESV
Wisdom is the most important gift we are given by God. Solomon was called by God to do a big job at a young age. He knew that he needed help in knowing how to be a good King and take good care of the kingdom. Solomon could have asked God for money or material possessions but instead, he asked God for wisdom. He asked God for understanding and help in knowing right and wrong. Because Solomon asked for this very important gift, God blessed him with it and with continued to bless him as a successful and prosperous king. Use this story to share with your child that wisdom and understanding are the most important gifts God can give us. When we come us against a situation we aren’t sure how to navigate, he is ready and willing to give us the gift of wisdom to help us through.
Related Verse: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5
The Wise and Foolish Builder
Matthew 7:24-27
Bible Truth: God’s wisdom is my firm foundation.
“’Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.’” Matthew 7:24-27 ESV
Wisdom is listening to what Jesus says and then doing it. In this teaching, Jesus tells his followers that a wise man builds his house on the rock or a strong foundation. There are many places in the Bible where Jesus is called this rock, the foundation of our faith. When we walk in relationship with Jesus he will guide us in knowledge and understanding to build our lives on the strong foundation of his wisdom. Use this story to encourage your child to be always listening to Jesus and those he has put as trusted leaders in their lives. When we follow Jesus and his ways, we walk in wisdom and point others to his truth.
Related Verse: Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20
What Wisdom Looks Like
James 3:17
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 ESV
Bible Truth: The wisdom of God is full of good things!
When facing an important decision we can look to the Word to find what wisdom looks like for that situation. When we follow Jesus, he leads us toward wisdom. First and foremost that wisdom is found in the Word. We may not find exactly what to do in every circumstance directly in the Bible but the Word does give us the characteristics of wisdom. Use this passage to help your child understand what wisdom looks like. Encourage them to ask these questions when faced with a decision—Is this pure? Do I have peace? Is this gentle? Will this bring good fruit (or can good come out of this?). These guidelines can help navigate our thought process and lead us to wise choices.
Related Verse: “…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3 Wisdom-Can’t Google Wisdom
I probably sound like a broken record with how many times I’ve said these words: If it’s one thing I’ve learned to be true about life (and especially since Google entered the picture), it is that when looking for an answer you can always find people who agree with what you are thinking and you can likewise find plenty of people who disagree with what you are thinking. My friend once said, “You can’t Google wisdom.” Oh how right he is.
The world is full of so much noise that makes it hard to know what’s right anymore. Passionate people on all sides of the table have countless opportunities to share their beliefs through books, blogs, social media, and church pulpits. All of the loud chatter often leads to confusion. But God has given us a wealth of wisdom in the Bible. We need to rise above the noise and dig into His Word to find answers for this complicated life we are living. And as we seek His answers to the questions in our own lives, we can guide our children to do the same.
Wisdom-Defining it for Yourself
Defining Spiritual Wisdom For Yourself November 15, 2017 The fact that Solomon asked for (not just knowledge) but insight on how to apply the knowledge effectively, he was granted things like riches, wealth and honor. Why? Because once you know what to do with what you have, the universe can entrust you with more. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” The Roman writer, Seneca confirms this by saying, “No man was ever wise by chance.”The pursuit of spiritual wisdom is good for your human trinity (mind, body, spirit). This quest is not some magical thing that comes to some and overlooks others. If you want to be wise, all you have to do is simply make the choice to do so and act on it.What are the Avenues of Spiritual Wisdom
When it comes to acquiring spiritual wisdom, the truth is what while many of us may desire it there are probably few who know what it really is. Wisdom is not the same thing as knowledge. As a matter of fact, you can very easily be acquainted with facts, truths or principles, but if you don’t apply this information to your life, you are actually the opposite of wise. Wisdom, especially spiritual wisdom, is not just about knowing what’s good for you, but applying that knowledge into your everyday life. When you do that, this is when you know that you are truly wise.
There is a story in the Bible that speaks of Solomon, a young man who, after God offered him anything his heart desired, he requested wisdom. In response to his humble wish, God said to Solomon: Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king— wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like (2 Chronicles 1:11-12, NKJV). Whether or not you are Christian, there is still a lot of personal revelation that can be received from a tale such as this. The Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines wisdom as “knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it.”
The fact that Solomon asked for (not just knowledge) but insight on how to apply the knowledge effectively, he was granted things like riches, wealth and honor. Why? Because once you know what to do with what you have, the universe can entrust you with more. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” The Roman writer, Seneca confirms this by saying, “No man was ever wise by chance.” The pursuit of spiritual wisdom is good for your human trinity (mind, body, spirit). This quest is not some magical thing that comes to some and overlooks others. If you want to be wise, all you have to do is simply make the choice to do so and act on it.
What are the Avenues of Spiritual Wisdom
The New York Times bestseller The Celestine Prophecy also leads you to believe that these seven avenues all lead to spiritual wisdom. In this fictional book, nine insights are revealed, all of which are believed by the author to lead to personal evolution or spiritual wisdom:
