Solomon says we must “Get wisdom.” That means it is not something that we inherently possess. It is not something we reach down inside and muster up. It is not something that we can meditate upon long enough and ultimately think ourselves up to. Wisdom, we later find out, is a gift from God (James 1:5) that he gives to those who ask. Both popular culture and other false religions teach us just to “follow our hearts” or “let your heart be your guide.” These malicious maxims, which are drilled into us from birth (through fairytale movies, bad literature, faulty parenting books….), are actually the worst possible advice. Jeremiah tells us that our hearts are “deceitful above all things and desperately sick” (17:9). Like a mis-calibrated compass that leads sailors slowly but surely off course, our hearts can’t be trusted. Our emotions, feelings, affections, intuitions, and all other subjective judgments can be wrong. However, the wisdom of God, revealed through His word and applied by the Spirit, will never lead us astray. That is what should be our guide.
