Wisdom Is Our Friend
Wisdom Is Our Friend
This morning I was thinking about Grandma C my mentor, spiritual mom, friend, and grandma to my kids. I miss her so and would love to share with her my joys, tears, and how she still impacts my life 18 years after she went to be with the Lord. She may be in heaven but her jewels of wisdom are still active and alive today in my heart.
I miss Grandma’s love for God and her unconditional love for me and for everyone God put in her path.
Wisdom, understanding, sound judgment and discretion were like the clothes she wore over her love and grace. That may sound like she was stiff, but not even close.
There were times I’d come home from work and I’d hear giggling coming from Grandma’s room. It was my daughter and her friends laying on Grandma’s bed just hanging out with her. They could listen to Grandma’s stories forever. She had a gift. Grandma would teach them the importance of wisdom, understanding, sound judgment, and discretion in all areas of their lives. She did it with stories, actions, and advice when they asked.
Today, in a time where the filter seems to be removed from our speaking, wisdom is needed more than ever. In Proverbs 3:21-30 Solomon gives this advice:
“My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion;
they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you.
Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm.”
Proverbs 3: 21-30 New International Version NIV
At a time when we seem to think it’s all about me, we need to remember it’s not.
At least not for Christ followers. God’s plans and purposes haven’t changed at all since the beginning of time. He loves us and wants an intimate one-to-one relationship with mankind, each and every one of us. He desires to spend eternity with us and is looking for us to be a reflection of Him in this world.
In this way, mankind will know His love for them and how He loves them. In I Corinthians 13 Paul details out what love really looks like in God’s sight.
Satan’s plans haven’t changed either. His focus is to steal, kill, and destroy as many as possible before his time is over. He is good at what he does. He is the father of lies, addiction, greed, lust, and hatred. Pride is his most highly prized tool used to destroy. He uses anger, disappointment, betrayal, and his list goes on but you get the picture.
Falling for Satan’s temptations is not difficult so how do we follow Christ’s plan and example? How do we stay out of the enemy’s trap? Back in the day, way back to Solomon, God gives us the key:
“God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
II Chronicles 1: 11-12 New International Version (NIV)
Solomon had wisdom and understanding in spades but over time he forgot where the wisdom and understanding came from his God, his Father’s God. He disregarded his prayer with God and God’s answer. He didn’t remember what his relationship with God was like when he was became king.
Ultimately, he too fell to temptation. He forgot to keep his eye on the giver, not the gifts. Pride and lust seem to have gradually, little by little, taken his eyes and heart in a variety of directions away from God.
As I said Satan is good at what he does. But God didn’t leave us without hope. He provided Jesus to pave the way. He provided the Holy Spirit to empower us to follow Christ and have our eyes and hearts fixed on our Heavenly Father. We have the teaching from Solomon about wisdom, knowledge, sound judgment, and discretion.
There are times we think or feel something but does that mean we say it? Maybe we keep silent. Sometimes we should be quiet and consider what love would do. There are times when we are in an emotionally hard place. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help by asking Him for wisdom or understanding to navigate the circumstance.
I found the other day I was emotional and feeling like my nerves were on edge. I just stopped and said: “God help me, please.” What landed in my heart was wisdom. Pausing for a moment I considered what wisdom did God have for me. It occurred to me that although my feelings, emotions, etc were from or about someone else I didn’t have to respond with the emotion. I have the freedom to choose rather than react. I could see this person through “God’s Eyes” by thinking about what love would look like. I thought of Grandma C and her love.
It wasn’t mine to have an issue…it was mine to believe the best, always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere. Love never fails, as it says in I Corinthians 13. I could respond the way I have been loved by my heavenly Father and Grandma C. I have not always deserved the grace and mercy I have received but that didn’t stop them.
I love in Proverbs 3:22 how it says: “They will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.” The mental picture I get is a scarf around my neck between my heart and my mouth and mind.
They say, “Out of the heart comes the wellspring of life.” If I have emotions that can betray me and I filter it through the cloth of wisdom, understanding, sound judgment, and discernment then I will do good and not evil to others. It takes practice. A lot of practice. Still working on it. But Grandma C made a significant and lasting difference one person at a time.
Today can you put on the scarf of wisdom and understanding clasped it with sound judgment and discretion?
