Most of us are familiar with the term “Higher Power” whether or not we know anything about AA or twelve-step groups. Steps 2 and 3 say this, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
And that’s generally accepted as a concept that works. Surrendering to the higher power. I love that. Feels like church.
But what about “Higher Wisdom?” How many among us actually believe that God is smarter than we are? That he has the big picture and we don’t. That his ways are above our ways.
In the 14th chapter of the Old Testament book of Numbers, Moses had one of his conversations with God. What was that like, I wonder! Mere mortals conversed with God throughout the first few books of the Bible. These were mature discussions with give and take.
When my kids were younger, I did NOT like their whining when they wanted something. I would say, “Make your case. Use your words. Discuss. Make sense.” And they would.
Sometimes the answer would be yes. Sometimes no. It depended on what love called for, but their sensibility usually won over whining.
Is it any different with God? God doesn’t seem appreciative of our whining. He seems to want conversation and relationship. And he wants us to acquire wisdom and understanding. “Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!” Prov. 4:5a (That’s pretty straightforward.) “The naïve inherit foolishness, but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.” Prov. 14:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 1:18
God made a way for us to acquire wisdom. His ways are not our ways, but that doesn’t mean they’re so mysterious or beyond us that we can never glimpse them. We love it when our kids ask us for guidance, so why should we expect anything less from God? If we ask him for a fish, will he give us a snake? (Matt. 7:10) We can make our case with God.
The caveat is that we need to accept his answers rather than “figuring it all out” (especially on hot-button topics), then walking away from his biblical concepts if they contradict what we have figured out. Apparently, at that point we haven’t really figured it all out. I’m pretty sure I never will. It’s a “lifelong learner” kind of thing. I’ve chosen God as my Source of higher wisdom (and higher power), but the ongoing acquisition of his power and wisdom is endless.
I think the key is being open to the Source because he’s so far beyond us. The joy is gaining more and more wisdom with the humility to realize we haven’t yet cornered the market.
Do you believe in Higher Wisdom?