Knowing the Wise Choice and Living Wisely - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 5
Knowing the Wise Choice and Living Wisely
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading:
The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight. (Proverbs 9:10 AMP)
I’ve been undeservingly blessed with a Jesus loving son. And I’ll gratefully admit, this is the greatest gift a parent could ask for. All five of my kids claim to truly love the Lord. But my son has been going on and on lately about his passion for gaining biblical knowledge. He claims he wants to know more so he can share more. To disciple the lost. To evangelize and save souls. And what an admirable desire, no doubt. But something started to strike me along his mission for knowledge, and I couldn’t help but ever so tenderly approach him with my observation. It was this: knowledge is necessary, but wisdom gives understanding and life to the information we consume. Wisdom means so much more. Wisdom helps us make choices with what we know. Knowledge without wise choice and action may get us nowhere.
Not so coincidentally, our church began a sermon series on wisdom at the introduction of Will’s newfound passion. Of course, he was beyond excited, under the assumption that wisdom equals knowledge. At the same time, I was excited for his opportunity to begin understanding the difference, allowing him to live out his calling better. I was also looking forward to growing in my understanding, so a quick Google search landed me on a helpful perspective of differences before the series took off. Crossway.com shared: “‘Knowledge’ tends to focus on a correct understanding of the world and oneself as creatures of the magnificent and loving God, while ‘wisdom’ is the acquired skill of applying that knowledge rightly, or ‘skill in the art of godly living.’”
I found this very insightful. Considering I’ve valued wisdom more and more as I’ve grown in faith, and the Bible devotes an entire book to the subject in the Book of Proverbs, I suppose we should probably all have our ears perked and be eager to dive into the importance of wisdom.
But why should wisdom really matter so much?
In general, I believe that as Christians, we want to gain wisdom, apply “godly” knowledge rightly, and make wise “godly” choices because this is how we honor and glorify God. But on a personal level, I’ve noticed that making wise, godly choices that align with God’s plan for our lives opens the door to fruitfulness and fulfillment. And don’t we all deeply desire the purpose that comes from fruitfulness and fulfillment in our lives? I sure do.
Well, how exactly do we walk in wisdom? How can we be confident we are making wise choices that lead to glorifying God, fruitfulness, and fulfillment?
I bet you’ve wondered what choice to make or what path to take at some point. Yes? We might be all filled up with facts and knowledge, but sometimes, we question how to apply them to our specific seasons or situations.
In between the two sermons on wisdom, our pastor released a podcast to dive into some specifics of what wisdom looks like when lived out. And there was something said regarding our ability to make wise choices that sat with me. It was along these lines: “You should know the wise choice to make when your mind is soaked in scripture, and your heart is soaked in prayer. In this case, follow your gut because God has formed your gut.”
I love this. Keep in mind that this is not just a worldly instruction to follow your gut. But when God’s word fills our heads, and we have connection and communion with him, we can trust the choices the spirit lays on us.
Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Mind soaked in scripture. Heart soaked in prayer and the presence of Jesus. And we will know the path of life—know the wise choices. And it will bring joy, purpose, fruitfulness, fulfillment, and eternal pleasures.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Let’s remember that growing in wisdom matters. Let’s remember today to stay close to God’s word and his presence, which enables us to live wise, godly lives. This allows us to make wise choices that align with God’s plan for our lives. In this wise living, we will fulfill our purpose to glorify and honor God. We will find a path to increased fruitfulness, greater joy and purpose, and a more fulfilling future.
Further Reading:
Praying through Proverbs: The Art of Living Wisely Everyday
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/pcess609
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