True Wisdom is the Fear of the Lord

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:7-8

According to a 2022 report, the United States has an average IQ of 98, only slightly lower than the world average of 98.36. However, the view that America is "the smartest country in the world" is subjective and depends on the criteria used for evaluation. According to the 2024 Intelligence Capital Index (ICI) research, the United States ranks first and is the only country to receive an A+ rating.

But according to cogniDNA and Bright Futures, Japan is the smartest country in the world in 2024 with an average IQ of 106.48. Japan's high intellectual capacity has contributed to elevating the nation's global standing in innovation and technology. Singapore ranks second with an average IQ of 106.47, Taiwan ranks third with an average IQ of 105.89, followed by Hong Kong with an average IQ of 105.37, while China and South Korea rank fifth and sixth with average IQs of 104.1 and 102.35 respectively. According to LinkedIn, Terence Tao is the smartest person alive on earth today. Mr. Tao is a mathematician and professor from Australia, known for his contributions to the field of mathematics. Some people call him the "Mozart of mathematics" and say he has an IQ of 230.

So what are the standards for evaluating an intelligent person? Generally speaking, the world considers a person intelligent when they possess a very general mental capacity, including the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, understand complex ideas, learn quickly, and learn from experience.

In Jewish history, the Old Testament Bible tells us that King Solomon was the wisest, most prosperous, and richest person before the Common Era. The wisdom and understanding he possessed came from God. When he became king, he knew he did not have the ability to lead a great nation, and he prayed to the Lord, asking Him to grant him wisdom to lead His people. This pleased God, and He granted King Solomon a wisdom that no one had ever possessed. It was King Solomon himself who recorded his life experiences in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, as well as the Song of Songs.

In particular, when it comes to the Book of Proverbs, everyone knows it as the "Book of Wisdom" because most of it teaches people how to live wisely according to God's way. As Christians, surely all of us want to live a wise life, glorifying God's name, so that when others look at us, they can see that God is in us, and the things we do are often different from theirs.

Living wisely in God means that we do not "be wise in our own eyes," do not act according to our own will, but always seek God's will in His Word and follow it. Proverbs 3:7-8 advises us not to consider ourselves wise, but to fear the Lord, read the Bible, seek His guidance, so that God's power will help us avoid evil. God's Word promises that a heart that fears God will bring health to our bodies, "This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones" (Proverbs 3:8). Here, God's Word emphasizes the importance of humility before God, recognizing that God is the One who is wise, and every thought and good deed that is beneficial to our spiritual life comes from God.

As beloved children of God, we must humble ourselves, be humble, "do not be wise in your own eyes," but always know that God is the One who provides everything in our lives. God's Word tells us, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). We must praise God because He is the One who is wise and created us, and live each day with gratitude to Him. We pray that God grants us wisdom, to know how to humble ourselves before Him, live in gratitude to Him, according to His Word; grant us wisdom in our speech and actions, so that we live to glorify His name and share the Gospel of salvation with all those around us! Amen!

The beginning of wisdom, Is the fear of the One who gave us life! He is God of peace, Who created the world, all living things, and mankind, God gave us laughter and voice, Form, mind, and peaceful days! He directs all things in this world, Absolute power, God provides all, With all our heart we obey and love, Living wisely in faith, receiving many blessings!

Topics