I knew an older man I’ll call Stan. God brought him into my life at a time when I was wrestling with myself, my call, and some difficult inner questions. He had lived a simple life in terms of earthly wealth and acclaim but when I became better acquainted with him, I found out that his counsel was sought by leaders of nations, that he sat at tables where the toughest foreign policy issues were debated. In our conversations his words were direct, but kind; without any attempt at sophistication, yet often profound; grounded in his deep faith and the tattered little Bible he carried with him at all times. I have no idea what Stan’s IQ might have been, but he was one of the wisest persons I have ever met.
Are you wise? Wisdom is not to be confused with great intellect or advanced formal education. Smart people are not necessarily wise people! Remember Solomon’s prayer when God offered him any gift he desired? He asked God for wisdom to be a good leader of the people, but he did not request that he become ‘smarter’ than others. Wise people know that they may not be the smartest person in the room so they work to gather information, to gain counsel, for their decisions. They possess not just information but experience. They understand that life requires more than pure logic, that there are complex factors that shape the life we lead. Interestingly to me, I discovered that the word “wisdom” is mentioned in the Bible just over 200 times, but the word “smart” isn’t used once. (Search done using the NIV translation!)
Christian friend, God gives the gift of wisdom! An Ivy League degree is not required. You need
not have test results that are near perfect in order to live wisely. David sang of
God’s work in the life of those who love Him. "The law of the Lord is
perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making
wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the
heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life."
(Psalm 19:7-8, NLT)
James plainly tells
us "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he
must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea,
blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6, NIV)
Godly wisdom demands humility and obedience. My friend, Stan, whom I mentioned a moment ago, was amazingly humble, never seeking the place at the head table, never pushing his own agenda, never boasting about his resume or accomplishments. He served God and people with joy, in the smallest ways. He committed his life to Christ, even as he lived with rich experiences that engaged the world around him, but his first and highest principle was to let God lead, to discover the mind of Christ for each and every day of his life.
Our world is consumed by “sophisticated” foolishness. We are seduced by a hundred voices that whisper lies about life’s meaning, about our personal choices, about what is good, right, and true into our ears. My prayer is that God will grant us wisdom, preserving us from being the whiz kids of the world even as we become the grounded people of wisdom who are able to sort through the conflicting counsel that comes our way.
Here is a song from the Psalms. This word from the Word is thought-worthy. Spend some time meditating on this godly wisdom, then influence your circle of friends and family with the wisdom of God.
"Blessed is the man who
does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or
sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law
he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not
wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm
1, NIV)
(Video of this blog at this link)
____________________
The way of wisdom starts out
With a step of holy fear
And it makes its way alone
By every good word that you hear
It has to do with passion
And it has to do with pain
It has to do with One
Who has both died and rose again
Died and rose again
And the Way of Wisdom is living
The Path of Peace is forgiving
Behold a Man of Meaning
Behold He is the Lord
The Way of Understanding lies
In not how much you know
For the Pathway is a Person
That you come to love and so
You can stop pretending
That it all depends on you
For it's not how much you love
As much as how much He loves you
How much He loves you
The Way of Wisdom beckons us
To find the end of fear
That perfect love pursues
For Wisdom did not come
To simply speak the words of truth
He's the Word that makes us true
The Way of Wisdom starts out
With a step of holy fear
That's only the beginning
And there's much more that is clear
The path leads on to love
And love is fearless in its ways
For Love Himself was not afraid
To die that we'd be saved
To die that we'd be saved
Behold He is the Lord
Michael Card
© 1990 Birdwing Music
CCLI License # 810055
No comments:
Post a Comment