So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)

The concept of wisdom and the desirability of being wise is found early on in the Bible. The serpent used this desire to lure Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. So, does that mean that it’s evil to be wise, or to want to be wise? Of course not. There are so many scriptures that point out the wisdom of being wise. Joseph was highly favored because of his wisdom, as was Solomon. There’s an entire section of the Bible devoted to wisdom: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are considered Wisdom Literature.

A clue to why this strategy identified in Genesis 3:6 worked to deceive Eve is found in Isaiah 7:12-14. Here we see that the reason for Satan’s fall was his desire to make himself “like the Most High.” Satan used this same reasoning with Eve when he offered her the forbidden fruit. He told her “’You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” Genesis 3:4-5.

The thing is that even though Satan has some power, he is still a created being. He can never be like the Most High God. He will never have the characteristics and attributes of God. He cannot ever be all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present. Any statement that he makes about himself otherwise is a lie, and every promise he makes to us otherwise is deception. Satan will always ultimately be subject to God.  No matter what we say, think, or do, we can never be God, and we will always be subject to God.

So, what’s the point of being wise? Why should gaining wisdom be a motivation for us? Solomon, who unlike Eve was known for his wisdom, also asked for wisdom. The difference is that he asked the right person, God, rather than Satan. And he desired wisdom not for self-gain, but instead to be able to distinguish between right and wrong (good and evil) in order to have an understanding mind “to govern your people.”

Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”  The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.  (1 Kings 3:8-12)

Why might I want to be wise? So that I will be highly favored by my friends, family, and coworkers? Because I perceive that power or wealth goes along with wisdom? Maybe so; but clearly, these are not a God-honoring motivations.  We should want to be wise because the desire for wisdom is evidence of our ongoing growth in our relationship with Jesus.

Paul tells us that Jesus is God’s wisdom. “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin” (1 Corinthians 1:30).  Paul urges us as follows: “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). This should be our “why”—not to be God, but to be more like Jesus in order to do His will.

In Christ,

Judy