“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” — Proverbs 11:30 (NKJV)
Have you ever noticed that every Christmas, when the children put on their little Christmas pageants, there’s always that moment when the wise men come walking out? You know, the three guys dressed in robes, wearing crowns, carrying their gifts. I don’t know why, but every time I see them, I think, Well, here come the wise guys! And of course, there’s always that one kid who looks like he’d rather be anywhere else than standing on that stage.
It’s the Wise Guys!
It’s funny how we use that expression, isn’t it? We call somebody a wise guy when they’re being a little sarcastic, quick with a comeback, or just plain funny. I’m actually mentoring somebody right now who is absolutely full of dad jokes. I mean, this guy has one for just about everything. He’s inherently a wise guy! But the more I thought about that expression, the more I began to realize that being a wise guy isn’t such a bad thing after all. At least not when we’re talking about the wisdom that comes from heaven.
Proverbs 11:30 tells us, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” Now there’s a definition of wisdom worth paying attention to. God connects wisdom with bearing fruit and reaching people. It’s not simply about how much Scripture we know or how many years we’ve been walking with the Lord. It’s about allowing the wisdom of God to operate through our lives in ways that bring life to somebody else.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” I love that. God doesn’t tell us to figure everything out on our own. He tells us to ask! And quite honestly, I believe we need to be asking a whole lot more often than we do.
I’m not talking about asking for wisdom once in the morning and hoping it lasts until bedtime. I’m talking about living in a continual dependence upon the Holy Spirit, moment by moment. Because life doesn’t always give us advance notice when we’re going to need wisdom. Sometimes it’s with our children or grandchildren. Sometimes it’s a difficult conversation with somebody we’re ministering to. And sometimes it’s something as ordinary as walking into Walmart.
Have you ever considered praying before you walk into Walmart? “Lord, is there somebody in here today who needs to see Jesus? Maybe it’s the lady at the checkout counter, somebody working behind the meat counter, or somebody standing next to me in line.” The same thing applies at Costco, the gas station, or wherever we happen to find ourselves. We never know what somebody else is walking through, but the Holy Spirit does.
And here’s where I think we sometimes miss it. We get so occupied with where we’re going and what we need to accomplish that we forget we might be walking right past a divine appointment. Somebody may be carrying a burden that a simple word of encouragement could begin to lift. Somebody may need prayer. Somebody may be searching for answers and not even realize that the person standing next to them knows the One who has them.
Paul tells us in Colossians 4:5–6, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Notice that he doesn’t simply tell us to speak. He tells us to walk in wisdom, redeem the time, and know how to answer each person. That requires discernment. Sometimes wisdom tells us to speak, and sometimes wisdom tells us to listen. And sometimes the greatest testimony we can give somebody is simply demonstrating the love of Christ before we ever open our mouths.
Paul also told Timothy to “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). Now, he was specifically instructing Timothy concerning preaching the Word, but I believe there’s a principle there for all of us. We should live ready. Ready to encourage, ready to pray, ready to share the hope of the gospel whenever the Lord opens the door. Not because we’ve rehearsed some perfect presentation, but because we’ve cultivated a relationship with the One who gives wisdom freely.
You know, the older I get, the more I realize how desperately I need God’s wisdom. Not just for the big decisions, but for the little ones. How I respond to my family, how I handle interruptions, how I speak to somebody who’s having a difficult day. Those moments matter. And I don’t want to be so consumed with my own agenda that I miss what God might want to accomplish through me in somebody else’s life.
So maybe we need a few more wise guys walking around these days. Not the kind with all the clever comebacks, although I still appreciate a good dad joke! I’m talking about men and women who are so dependent upon the Holy Spirit that they’re ready to reflect Christ wherever He places them. Because according to Proverbs, winning souls is wise. And if we’re going to be wise guys, we might as well be wise guys who are winning souls!
Father, I thank You for my friends who desire to be saturated with Your wisdom. Lord, teach us to depend upon You, not simply day by day, but moment by moment. Give us eyes to see the people around us the way You see them. Help us recognize those divine appointments that we might otherwise walk right past. Father, in this day and age, when so many people desperately need You, prepare our hearts to be ready in season and out of season. Let our words be filled with grace, our actions reflect Your love, and our lives bear fruit that leads others to Christ. Give us the wisdom of heaven to minister to people right where they are and encourage them toward everything You’ve called them to be. Lord, make us wise guys who are winning souls for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.