Wisdom Is A Blessing

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom

And the man who gains understanding.

For her profit is better than the profit of silver

And her gain better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels;

And nothing you desire compares with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

In her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways

And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who hold her fast.

Proverbs 3:13-18

All We Need To Know

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 John 1:5-10

God's Choice

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

 

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

God looks at us and does not see what we lack in abilities or education.  He sees what He has planned for us and willing workers.

We boast only of God’s blessings.

To Advise Or Not

Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

Matthew 7:6

Sometimes it is better if we keep our mouths shut.  For me, it seems almost cruel not to offer advice when I see someone struggling with a problem for which I know of a solution.  However, I have on several occasions been told “mind your own business,” and therefore, I am not so free with advice to those individuals. 

Yes, it is difficult for me to watch people who I care about struggle over problems for which there are easier solutions than that which they have chosen to pursue.  There is also the possibility that what I think is a problem they do not consider a problem. 

I am working hard on my approach to people who I perceive to be in a struggle.   I ask, “So, how is it going?”  And, wait to see what they say.  If they say “O.K.” then I say no more about it and pursue small talk and try to wedge in some encouraging words.   If they say, “Winter is coming and my kids have no coats,” then it is open season.

I trust God to direct me to do His will.

Wisdom From Above

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

James 3:17

We all do things which we later regard as being really stupid because things do not work out as we intended.  However, just because our actions do not produce the results we intend, does not mean that our actions are wrong. 

If we act in accordance with what the Bible says is “wisdom from above” then we have acted as we should, and have nothing to regret because perhaps all of it is part of a much larger plan by God. 

Measuring Stick

While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon, the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard, and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.  But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?  For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.”  And they were scolding her.

But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her?  She has done a good deed to Me.  For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.  She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.”

Mark 14:3-8

An important lesson here is that we should not be so quick to judge the actions of people who are doing what they believe God is leading them to do. Rather than saying something negative, we should take a minute and consider how the actions measure up to what the Bible teaches. 

When we change our measuring stick from our gut instincts to the Word of God, things look different.