Wisdom Wednesday has been helpful to show me that in the past few months, God’s been teaching me about three or four things, not a new thing every day. It seems every week it’s the same verses that have been sticking out. I don’t want to be boring, but I’m still being convicted and changed by verses on slothfulness, love and unselfishness, and the need to search for wisdom. Yes, I need patience. I need more love. I really need to learn to deny my own desires more and love my children and husband as Christ loved me.
Ultimately, then, I need more wisdom. I can pray for it, talk about it, and wish for it. I can wallow in the Bible I don’t understand, and flounder in unfamiliar commentaries and fill-in-the-blank Bible studies, but there’s no substitute for hours spent systematically reading through God’s Word.
I’d say that’s one of my weaknesses. I tend to know what I “need” and read specific passages over and over. That’s not always a bad thing, but in the past I’ve gotten the most out of my Bible reading time when I’ve disciplined myself to read in order. I need to be doing this more.
My driving question for Wisdom Wednesday is, how is Scripture changing me? How is God using His Word to change what I do? The fact is, I can study the Bible, I can learn theology, but if I’m not actually acting on what I’m reading, I’m not exercising biblical wisdom.This morning, Scripture did influence my actions. My older children are delightfully entertained by the cousins in the morning, although my baby is just as distracting as she ever is. It was the imagery in Proverbs 1 that kept me reading my Bible this morning, in spite of the distraction of a baby who wants attention from her mommy. I was tempted to give up and call it a morning several times. It would be understandable had I done so.
Proverbs 1:20-33
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Wisdom is calling. I tell David if something is worth doing, it’s often going to be difficult. I have to be willing to read when I’m tired and distracted if I’m going to value wisdom. And I know that, although I would never tell you that I despise wisdom, you will know whether I truly despise it by whether I actually search for it passionately.
Wisdom is calling.
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