The Wrong Road to Wisdom

Generally, for every true statement, there is an opposite (true) statement. For instance, you've probably heard that "there is a way that seems right to man // But it leads to death." If that is true, then it is also equally true that "there is a way that seems wrong to man // But it leads to life."

Scripture is full of examples of this, not the least of which is Jesus. If ever there was a way that seemed completely wrong, it was the way to the cross! Yet, shockingly, it led to life. How did that happen? And Joseph's life testified to the same: how could it be "right" for the future leader to be sold into slavery and then falsely accused and sent into prison? But as you know, it led to life for him and untold multitudes.

The fellow I want to focus, on, though, is Job. His way may not seem any more wrong than the others, but he was definitely more vociferous about it. In the middle of his strident accusations against God (for taking Job down a way that seemed wrong to him) he makes a comparison similar to what Solomon made regarding wisdom, which I had overlooked entirely until last night. (When I, too, was complaining that God had taken me down a wrong way.)

We read many statements in the book of Proverbs relating to the comparative value of wisdom and precious stones / metals. Job makes this comparison on a different level, and compares how they are found. Based on many of Job's other statements, I'm of the opinion that he didn't really know what he was saying, but he was nonetheless speaking the truth.

Man, Job said, has figured out how to find precious stones / metals. You dig a hole, you find a vein, you follow it, and you go through the process of bringing the precious minerals to the surface. Wisdom, however, is different. Only God knows the way to wisdom.

I don't know the way to wisdom, but I'm pretty confident of one thing: the way to wisdom seems wrong to man.

You may protest that Jesus has been made our wisdom . or that the book of Proverbs is full of wisdom . or that the scriptures are loaded with wisdom. I'll maintain that you can read the scriptures from morning until night, and memorize every Proverb, and still not possess wisdom-because only God knows the way to wisdom.

The fear of the Lord, Job said, is wisdom.

Job himself knew many facts-he and his friends spouted proverbs to each other for pages and pages-but he didn't find wisdom until the very end . when he came to truly fear the Lord.

The road to the fear of the Lord is different for every one of us.

Only God knows the road.

The road seems wrong to us.

The road leads to wisdom-and all the other good stuff you've ever wanted.

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