The Biblical Wisdom Funnel (And How to Apply It)
Feb 10, 2025 · Lane
The quest for wisdom is sometimes portrayed as a confusing path that only a select few may succeed in walking, but the Bible seems to say otherwise. In God's Word, we actually see a clear path laid out to obtain wisdom, along with a funnel system showing exactly how the process ought to work. The funnel consists of three stages, each one being more meaningful than the previous.
If you introduced this funnel to someone brand new to God's Word, they might easily dismiss it as nonsense. Knowledge, understanding, and wisdom all seem similar, if not identical. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Their unique characteristics are made evident in Scripture, and it’s important to understand them for our own lives.
To continue in this analysis of what I’ve chosen to call the "Biblical Wisdom Funnel," we need to ensure our definitions are clearly established.
As you can see, there’s a clear progression from knowledge to understanding and then finally to wisdom. They are all evolutions of the same concept. The concept in question is alignment with God's truth and God's desire. Wisdom is the utmost understanding and application of God's character and how His traits ought to interact with our daily lives. Wisdom prevents bad situations, responds accordingly when they do occur, and is always seeking proactivity.
The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge
— Proverbs 18:15
Applicable Scriptures
This verse reminds us of the simple concept we've heard time and time again: seek, and you shall find. Those who are prudent in their actions will obtain the knowledge they seek. It also reminds us of the simple concept of listening.
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A wise man will listen to what others have to say, knowing that everyone has something to teach him. The arrogant and prideful will never find knowledge because they close their ears to all outside opinions. The acquisition of knowledge comes from a desire to learn, not only about worldly things but also about Jesus and the character of God Himself.
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The people who acquire true knowledge are those who desire to know Christ deeper and learn more about divine matters. These people want to know who Christ is at a foundational level—what disappoints Him, what angers Him, and, even more, what pleases Him.
For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
- Ecclesiastes 7:12
We know, of course, that having an abundance of resources, like money, can solve many of our issues. However, Solomon here in Ecclesiastes reminds us of something much better than money: knowledge and wisdom.
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Money will solve issues and protect us from situations we don’t want to be in, the exact thing wisdom does—yet money does so on a far smaller scale. Wisdom, beyond situation management, will also give you life.
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Since wisdom, as we have reviewed, is aligned with God's desire and God's truth, we find everlasting life in Jesus as a result of true wisdom. Truly wise people will accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, thus finding life. The pursuit of knowing God deeper is the greatest pursuit we could ever embark on in this lifetime. I must advise you—do not let the opportunity pass by.
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
- Proverbs 15:14
As discussed in Proverbs 18:15, the prudent will acquire knowledge—those who seek shall receive. These people want to learn more and become wiser, continually pursuing God in all aspects of their lives. However, on the other end of the spectrum, we find the foolish man.
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The foolish, unlike the prudent, will be fully satisfied as they are. The fool will be content with low-level discourse, constantly engaging in meaningless behavior, and complacent in all areas. They quite literally feed on their foolishness, and it sustains them—not in a healthy, truthful, or real way, but the deception is enough that they don’t see a need for change.
And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’
- Job 28:28
This verse gives us deeper insight into what exactly "understanding" looks like and how it can be identified. Understanding is shown through departing from one’s old evil ways. By gaining understanding of God's desires and what pleases Him, we become familiar with His character and start to see how it applies to real life.
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This gained understanding further convicts us of the evil we commit and pushes us to depart from these ways and pursue righteousness. Pursuing righteousness and alignment with God's character is what wisdom is all about, so the transition makes perfect sense—from understanding to wisdom.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
- James 3:17
After looking at how we can identify understanding, it’s good to clarify some identifying features of true godly wisdom. After all, the enemy will surely try to convince you that his wisdom is the same as God's. It is not.
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Wisdom that is granted from God will bring along the characteristics listed in James 3:17. If you claim to be wise, yet your wisdom does not result in further alignment with the character of God, it is likely something else falsely disguised as wisdom.
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This is when it becomes essential that we pray for discernment. The devil wants to trick us, convincing us that our previous ways of thinking were actually wise. However, with true godly discernment added into the equation, you’ll realize where the lie is and be able to adjust accordingly.
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James makes an interesting point by including "without hypocrisy" in the list of traits attributed to godly wisdom. Wisdom, as we know, brings actual life change. Even if you have knowledge and understanding, you may simply know what is right but continue practicing what is wrong. Wisdom brings real change to your actions and lifestyle so that you are free from hypocrisy.
Understanding this Biblical Wisdom Funnel is extremely important because it re-centers us on what our true focus should be: aligning our life with God's truth and His desire.
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Seeking knowledge without a desire to know God deeper is a pursuit done entirely in vain. It is useless. If anything, such a pursuit without a deeper desire to know God may leave you more miserable. You may find yourself extremely intellectually capable yet in a state of paralysis, unable to apply these new learnings.
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Our job with this information is to study deeper, be in God's Word more, pray with greater fervency, seek God wholeheartedly, and fear Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God will handle the divine aspect of granting you wisdom, but you need to walk by faith and pursue it first.
Why This Matters and How to Apply It
