Today we began to read in Proverbs, the book of wisdom. I googled online and it said that wisdom was, "the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise."
Proverbs begins with providing us a manual for life. We have a father who is attempting to spare his son potential heartaches by not choosing the wrong group of people to follow and not associating with evildoers. Mark Twain once said, "It's easier to stay out than to get out."
Chapter one spoke about warnings against enticement and warnings against rejecting wisdom, but it was the benefits of wisdom shared in chapter two that stood out for me.
If we accept God's words, remember His commands, seek His council, apply understanding, we will show fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, for the Lord gives wisdom. "For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guide you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse." Proverbs 2:10-12
How comforting it is knowing that God wants to impart His wisdom upon us. If I followed these words everyday, how much different would my life be? Why do I struggle to embrace His words which leads to wisdom?
In the NT passage, it talks about using our spiritual gifts with the correct purpose - glorifying God, building the church, and effectively reaching the unbelievers. We need to have the understanding that in certain circumstances, specific gifts may need to be exercised and used in order to be effective in fulfilling God's purpose. Whatever gifts we have been given by God, Paul insists that these gifts should be controlled by the recipients themselves.
God wants our worship to be orderly and not chaotic. When we worship the correct way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion, but harmony.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Proverbs 3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28
3 comments:
The verse that summed it up for me is found in chapter 1 verse 33: "but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Seems so simple, listen to God and live stress free. This does not mean that we won't have bad things happen, but means that in the end God will give us victory. Why is this then so hard to do? The answer for me is selfishness. I stumble when I put my own desires ahead of what God wants.
The key to me was seeking wisdom in the right place - God.
Motive is also key. We shouldn't seek wisdom for wisdom's sake, but rather to become more like Him, and to be able to be discerning and obedient.
We should also remember to be humble. As we do become more wise it may be easy to think we have "arrived", but we always have more to learn.
In our NT passage I love the focus on edifying our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. How many times have I scoffed at correction and constructive criticism?
"For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;"
May we never be so complacent that we are foolishly destroyed.
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