In his first epistle to church members in the city of Corinth, Paul asserts that our perception of wisdom is not terribly reliable.
“The foolishness of God is wiser than men,” he says (1 Corinthians 1:25). And “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). Some people who seem incredibly smart have blind spots. They may be confident in their knowledge, but that confidence may be overblown. Don’t confuse hubris with wisdom.
Paul cites several scriptural passages to support his claim:
- “I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid” (Isaiah 29:14; see also 2 Nephi 27:26, 1 Corinthians 1:19).
- “Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isaiah 64:4; see also 1 Corinthians 2:9, 3 Nephi 17:16).
- “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (Job 5:13; see also 1 Corinthians 3:19, Alma 12:3).
- “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity” (Psalm 94:11; see also 1 Corinthians 3:20)
The prophet Jacob makes the same assertion in the Book of Mormon. “O that cunning plan of the evil one!” he laments. “O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not” (2 Nephi 9:28).
Jacob goes on to clarify that it is good to be “learned,” as long as you are willing to “hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:29). Education is not the problem here. Knowledge is not the problem. The problem is pride: overestimating the extent of our knowledge, and underestimating how much we have yet to learn. Our “wisdom” becomes foolishness when it becomes a barrier to learning, when it prevents us from listening to the One who has all wisdom. (See Mosiah 4:9, Alma 26:35.)
The antidote, according to both Jacob and Paul, is that we need to become more cognizant of our limitations. “If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world,” wrote Paul, “let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18). And Jacob said that those who are “puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom” must “consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility” in order to become close to God. (See 2 Nephi 9:42.)
When Paul says that God chooses “the foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27), he’s really saying the people who seem foolish from the world’s perspective. When he tells us that God does His work by “the foolishness of preaching” (1 Corinthians 1:21), he really means preaching that seems foolish to the people who don’t understand. After all, he says, “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Jacob emphasizes this point as he laments the final state of those who are wise in their own eyes: “The things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever” (2 Nephi 9:43). How ironic that they are unable to receive what they think they already have!
Today, I will strive for wisdom by acknowledging my limitations. I will recognize that the knowledge I have gained is insignificant compared with God’s wisdom, and I will follow His counsel in order to receive more wisdom from Him.
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