Old Testament
Proverbs 2:6-8
6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.
New Testament
James 1:5-6
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
Proverbs says that wisdom comes from the Lord, and that he stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice. Wisdom, in Scripture, is not simply cleverness. It is moral clarity and practical steadiness.
James makes the invitation plain. If anyone lacks wisdom, let them ask God, who gives generously and without reproach. In crisis we often pretend competence, because we fear being exposed. James says: pray. Ask. Do not try to carry the weight alone.
Disaster management demands this kind of wisdom: decisions under pressure, imperfect information, competing needs, limited time. Wisdom speaks to logistics and to love; it asks whose burdens are heaviest. It also demands integrity: truthfulness about risk, honesty about trade-offs, care for the vulnerable who will suffer most when plans fail. And it begins, James says, with asking.
Lord, give wisdom to those who lead and coordinate in emergencies. Make them calm without being careless, courageous without being reckless, compassionate without becoming overwhelmed. Give them quiet courage. Give them colleagues who can speak truth, and communities who can cooperate. And teach us, too, to ask for wisdom rather than to perform strength.