What is your definition of wisdom?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(Proverbs 9:10 (NIV))

What is wisdom?

The world thinks of wisdom as a cunning or shrewdness in a particular area such as business. What passes as wisdom in this world is of no consequence in the eyes of God. The wisdom of the world is fleeting and foolish, for it passes in the blink of an eye. Even intellectual wisdom is fleeting. The “smartest” person in the world can lose it all in the blink of an eye if they are in an accident that causes brain damage.

Just what is wisdom?

True wisdom comes only from acknowledging that we are not “gods” of our own destiny and circumstances. We do not control our lives the way worldly wisdom claims that we do. What happens to worldly wisdom once that person dies without Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior? It may be remembered for a short time, but, it too will die and the person who was considered wise will spend eternity apart from God.

True wisdom acknowledges God and His mastery over all things. It not only says that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, it accepts Jesus’ authority as Lord and Master as well as Savior. With this acknowledgement and acceptance comes true wisdom, for the Holy Spirit will fill you with what is of God. The Holy Spirit proceeds with teaching and guiding you in all things that matter for eternity and not for the next few days, weeks, months, or years.

True wisdom focuses on the eternal Kingdom of God and not on the temporary personal kingdoms that we all try to establish for ourselves.

What is your definition of wisdom?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery
Visit us on facebook

Do you pay attention to the lessons God is teaching you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
(Matthew 24:32-35 (NIV))

Too many of us do not recognize the symbolism referenced in this passage because too much of our society does not understand the growth and harvest cycle anymore. We are so used to going to the grocery store and getting what we want. We complain when we can’t get something because it is not in season. We miss out on the way that God intended for us to get our food and the knowledge that everything has signs that tell us when something is about to be ready.

Be honest with yourself.

How many of you could actually plant a garden and know what to do to take care of it? Would you be able to know when the various plants would be ready to harvest? I know that I am probably going to extremes, but I am trying to show that we have lost touch with much of what God has given to us. We no longer look at things and know what will happen next. We expect everything to be the same all of the time.

We have lost the ability to learn the lesson that we are told in Matthew. All of our conveniences have made us think that we are in control. We think that we, as humanity, can manage anything and make it better.

Have you ever heard it said that our education system teaches us more and more about less and less. Think about that. People spend a lifetime becoming experts on one topic and in many instances, they know nothing about anything else. We have educated ourselves out of common sense.

God gave us the world. He gave us the seasons. He gave us the ability to know things of the world that He created, yet, in all of our so-called wisdom, we have lost site of the obvious. We no longer can see the lessons that God has placed right before us.

We over analyze everything and most of the time we are wrong. Think about that. We attempt to learn the logical way that the world works. Many reject the way that it has always been done simply because it can no longer be accurate and truly reflect today’s way of thinking.

I don’t know about you, but today’s way of thinking is a scary proposition. Many people believe that they can successfully do what others have tried and failed. They are arrogant enough to think that the reason the other people failed was because it was not them who were doing it.

How many have heard the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

I honestly think that is exactly what is going on in much of the world. We, as humanity, have gone insane!

We ignore God.

We ignore His lessons.

We ignore His truths.

We ignore His Son, Jesus.

And, . . .

We embrace insanity.

It is my prayer that we learn the lessons that God is trying to teach us before it is too late.

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

What better source of wisdom than the Creator of all things!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

For the LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
(Proverbs 2:6 (NIV))

What better source of wisdom than the Creator of all things! His wisdom is true wisdom.

Isn’t it interesting that our frail human minds think that wisdom is now all rooted in attaining technological advances and knowledge of things that soon become outdated. We frantically attempt to gain new wisdom to replace that which has become outdated. This sounds very much like the times written of by Daniel.

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people–everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
(Daniel 12:1-4 (NIV))

We seek after all the wrong wisdom and we call it good. At the same time, those who earnestly seek after God are called narrow-minded and bad. It is true that we must live in this world, but we do not have to live by the standards that it tries to set for us. We can choose the true wisdom, knowledge and understanding that comes only through God.

Where does your wisdom lie?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery