“Never be wise in your own sight.” – Romans 12:16b
The words above are a knockout punch to our pride. The infinite counsel of God to all of us through Paul’s quill removes from us the option of ever leaning upon our own wisdom. The command anticipates that we will, at some point, take an inventory of our own selves in order to draw a conclusion concerning our discernment. We are prohibited from ever declaring that, on our own, we are sufficiently wise. The warning is so strong that we find that there is no occasion where any allowance is given; NEVER conclude that you have sufficient wisdom. Never.
God does not desire for us to despair that there is no wisdom available, however. He simply does not permit us to look to the empty well of our own reasoning, intellect, enlightenment or experiences. The teaching of His Word tells me that, when I erroneously look to myself for guidance that I will leave that well either drinking foul water or no water at all. When circumstance opens wide its mouth to swallow me, I have no wisdom of my own to escape. When paradoxes of life confuse me, I should not run to the library of my past experiences to locate a manual on how to reason my way through the quandary. When people fail me or when I fail them, there is nothing within the flesh-painted walls of my common sense that can make sense of the hurt. Unfortunately, apart from the objective truth entrusted to us…there are absolutely no sufficient answers which can assuredly assist us.
Never be wise in your own sight. What then do we do? What is our recourse?
Where we run to for hope has been the same since the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, being wise in their own sight, adorned themselves with fig leaves to mask their shame. They ran from God but God ran to Adam and Eve. The fig leaves were discarded and animal skins were exchanged. God’s wisdom reigned while man’s wisdom was cast aside. King David longed for Bathsheba and somehow convinced himself that to have her was permissible. His wisdom led to adultery, deceit, murder and refusal of repentance. God sent courageous Nathan with a piercing parable of one who stole a lamb. David’s own words, now revealing God’s wisdom concerning justice, unknowingly condemned his own actions. When Nathan pronounced, ‘Thou art the man!’ David’s reasoning died and God’s holy truth was enthroned. Esther was granted prominence in the kingdom for a time such as had never been seen. God placed her in the king’s palace as his wife so that He might utilize her influence to save His people. Esther trembled while Mordecai led her and God’s children to fast and pray; she gained the wisdom and fortitude to request of her husband a plan to spare the Hebrews. Israel’s enemy in that day, Haman, had shrewd schemes which fell apart as the noose of his own wisdom was tightened around his neck and the gallows of God claimed him for eternity. Saul of Tarsus, in mighty intellect and raging zeal sought to kill the Christians of his day. Plotting and pursuing, the man who would become the point-man for the church made his way to Damascus. His own wisdom assured him that God was on his side. The blazing glory of Jesus Christ outshined the sun and put him face down in the dust (our own wisdom always puts us here). He received sovereign salvation, a divine commission and a short season in darkness wherein his eyes could not see (a healthy reminder that our own wisdom can only produce eventual darkness).
In all these cases, the wisdom of man was, at best, insufficient and, at worst, completely disastrous. How amazingly gracious of God to put an end to our trust in the reservoir of self. That cistern has been a long time cracked and empty. God’s pool is full.
Never be wise in your own sight. When you come to this place of acknowledgment there is nothing to inhibit you from looking to the all-wise, ever-knowing, completely comprehensive God who has said the following to those who believe,
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:1-6 {ESV}