"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
James 1:5
“If any of you lack wisdom,” [1]
How often do you find yourself needy for wisdom? “If” you do, then this is for you!
“If any one falls short of wisdom” [2] (Robertson).
Notice that James doesn’t say “if any of you lack knowledge.” We may lack that as well, but he focuses here on “wisdom,” that is, the practical application of knowledge. Just because we may be knowledgeable in an area, it doesn’t mean we have all the answers, and we know what to do. I often find myself “falling short of wisdom.” Fortunately, James gives us a simple solution.
“Let him ask of God,”
Go to the source of wisdom. Don’t mess around with the “middleman,” but go ask God for wisdom. This is not to say we shouldn’t get godly counsel from others for several scripture passages that encourage us to get help from wise, godly believers. But how many times do we run to a person for advice before we ask God for His help? James tells us to “go to the source” of all wisdom first. His words are in the present tense, we are to ask God for wisdom, and ask, and ask…
“That giveth to all men liberally,”
It would be a sad and challenging thing to go ask a god who can’t hear or doesn’t care! But take special note of how our God treats His child who goes to Him and asks Him for help.
“The Greek puts it so that giving is emphasized as an attribute of God. Lit., ‘Ask of the giving God,’ or of ‘God the giver’” [3] (Vincent).
God loves to give![4]
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).
“And upbraideth not;”
God doesn’t scold us or verbally abuse us because we have come to ask Him for wisdom. He is glad for us to go to Him.
“Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
“And it shall be given him.”
Wonderful words!
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11).
Dear Lord, thank you for telling me to come to you with my needs, especially when I need your wisdom.
[1] In the Greek text, this is a first-class condition, the statement is “assumed to be true.” I often find myself there in that spot in need of His wisdom.
[2] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] M.R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[4] The word “liberally” in the verse means “simply,” “abundantly,” “graciously,” or “unconditionally.”