“To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom” – 1 Corinthians 12:8
Wisdom is spoken of as the first gift of the Holy Spirit. It’s been said that wisdom is the crown of all other gifts. Wisdom isn’t just merely being smart or a deep thinker or merely a gift of the intellect.
Wisdom directs the heart, and yet when we think of wisdom, we think of Mr. Miyagi or a Yoda figure. Right? Somebody who’s just, just long, long hair. It’s gotta be gray, and there’s just this wise, wise sage. Wisdom is more than that. Wisdom helps us to know, to understand. Wisdom gives us an ability to make our faith more real. It helps us to comprehend the mysteries of God in a deeper way, not so that we’re able to pass an exam on a given topic, but rather so that our heart would be changed.
Our heart would be transformed.
“The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding” – Isaiah 11:2
This is a good gift to pray for as we prepare these last days before the Passion and Easter season. We ask to receive this gift of wisdom from the Holy Spirit that we may understand on a much deeper level than ever before what Christ was accomplishing in this act of Divine Mercy. As we begin the Novena of Divine Mercy tomorrow, we ask the Holy Spirit to come with His deepest wisdom into our souls that we may see the fullness of the prayers each day brings.
Draw deeper into this request and gift that it not be just an intellectual exercise. But, seek that becomes transformative to you. Wisdom helps you see as God sees. Imagine, just for a second, how our lives would be different if we were able to see situations, relationships, people, and complex problems—if we were able to see them as God sees them. Draw more deeply of this gift that we see all Christ is doing these next days and through Pentecost and beyond to our every day.
Some people have made an analogy that wisdom is like glasses, that we see the world through wisdom. We see the world as God sees things. It allows us to see the things of God in creation, in ourselves, and in one another. So often, the lens through which we look at these things is the lens of our own experience, our own hopes, our own desires, our own brokenness, our own woundedness. Wisdom helps us see these things through God’s eyes. Wisdom helps us to see the beauty in the person who, at first glance, offends us or repulses us.
“To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom” – 1 Corinthians 12:8
Be ‘the one’ starting today. Seek and find!