We may think wisdom is knowing a lot of facts; being really smart. Or knowing what to do in all cases.

Not so! Wisdom is not intellectual but spiritual.

Wisdom is actually discernment. It is having an inquiring mind, and not being afraid to ask questions. We see it most often in daily life in problem solving. For instance, take the TV shows House and Supernanny. In each the central character has uncanny wisdom in diagnosing problems and finding solutions. They ask, Why is this child having tantrums? Why is this patient sick? Of course, House has a staff of doctors at his disposal. We'd all be wise if we had our own staff to solve all our problems.

Much of my work as an interim minister is similar discernment. I'm always asking, Why do congregations work the way they do?

Some questions that I ask each congregation:

• How is power shared? Is there a common vision? Does everybody pull together, or are there a million oars in the water pulling the church in a million different directions?
   
• Do people tend to avoid conflict, or do they have knock-down drag-out fights? Or
   
• Is conflict experienced as the growth opportunity it can be, if used wisely? In marriage, if there is no conflict or disagreement, often there is no life. It is the same in communities of faith.
   
• Is there respect for the work of committees, or is the congregation run by individuals? [You have to ask so-and-so or you can't make any changes. Or, another common variant of this: people feel free to critique, and to say how things must be done, but seem to be elsewhere when the nominating committee is looking for leaders.]
   
• Is there respect for individuals, or do people step on each others toes all the time?
   
• And a related question: Are there good boundaries, or are people acting out sexually? Sexual misconduct, whether involving the pastor or adultery and broken marriages involving session members, is unfortunately more common than we would like to believe.

The questions can be summed up, How can church members best be church together so that they can do God's work in the world?

I don't pretend to be wise, but I have learned not to be afraid to ask questions. I've learned its vital to test my assumptions, because they're often wrong. Some churches get really sick of my questions, and are happy to see my back! Conflict-avoidance congregations often feel I'm merely trying to stir up trouble. But I feel God has called me to be a questioner in my ministry to get congregations ready for a new pastor.

According to our reading from First Kings, wisdom begins with worship and prayer; includes humility, and is often granted for the asking. In Solomon's case, he asked for wisdom and the gift of discernment in his prayer, when God came to him in a dream at Gibeon, the place of sacrifices made by Solomon before he built the Temple.

We also see the quest for wisdom in the folk tale, The Emperor's New Clothes. No doubt you remember the emperor who allowed himself to be dressed by two dishonest tailors who claimed to possess the finest cloth, which could only be seen by the wise and those who were fit for their positions. Afraid to say he couldn't see his new clothes, and risk the loss of his throne, the emperor paraded through the town naked. None of the townspeople dared to risk seeming stupid, so they applauded him as if he really were dressed in the finest robes made of the most beautiful cloth. Finally a small childs voice rang out, But he has nothing on !

Instead of being the short-cut to wisdom the Emperor hoped for, the cloth made fools of all who claimed they could see it.

Growing in wisdom may mean risking been seen as a fool. We have to allow God to act in every situation, and allow God's grace to infuse our understanding. How to do that? Look to a child!

The small boy who recognized the emperors nakedness was not afraid to ask questions. Most children start out with this freedom, until school and playground experiences teach them the dubious wisdom of conformity. But Jesus said on more than one occasion, Be like a child. Only those who can be child-like can participate in the reign of God. If you have the wisdom of a child, you will have a sense of awe all the time. Remember how young children can gaze at the clouds for hours, or how they get excited by a dandelions ability to cast its seed on the wind. The Buddhists have a name for it. They call it beginners mind - everything is a new, joyful experience.

To have the mind of a child is to have true wisdom.

• Wisdom is being guided by that sense of awe, that fresh and direct experience of the holy in everyday life. Each moment can be God-filled if we maintain beginners mind.
   
• Wisdom means being willing to take risks, even of appearing foolish or being a nuisance. Ask questions and test your assumptions!
   
• Wisdom means seeking Gods hand in life, not only the guiding, comforting hand that we cling to sometimes, but especially looking for God at work in the world, seeing and naming it.
   

Only then we can have true wisdom - a discerning heart that seeks God in all times, all places, all moments, all people. Let us pray like Solomon did, for understanding hearts