Posted on by intentional4christ

Advent Calendar day 16: A Wise Heart

I recall in my younger years I did something that I still regret to this day. Although it was a single incident that perhaps may not even be remembered by parties involved, I certainly remember and it colors that time of my life. Have you had a moment’s lapse in judgement where you said or did something that changed everything? Today’s reading hits the nail right on the head with this proverb:

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 NIV

In this scripture, folly is contrasted against wisdom and honor and has been described to be the undoing of both. Folly can come in many forms- a small act of unkindness, a moment of anger, a rash decision or a harsh word can cost a person a great deal. It can cast a shadow on one’s bright future, can close doors of opportunity and can bring great misfortune. We need to apply ourselves to wisdom in all our endeavors and a wise heart dictates that there is a proper time and place for everything

Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery.

Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 NIV

So how do we respond to this advice? The psalmist prays “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12) and I today I pray same of God.

Dear Heavenly Father, teach us to realize the brevity of life, help us to number our days and redeem the time you have given us. And above all, give us a heart of wisdom so we are not entrapped by folly. Amen.

Yours Truly

Posted on by intentional4christ · 1 Comment

Where is wisdom found?

So last week I started a new job and to be honest my week felt like it had been ripped right out of the “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” movie script. I ended the week with one prayer: “God, please give me wisdom!” and I reached out to people to pray the same for me.

Interestingly, a couple days ago my daily bible reading landed me on this passage of scripture and because it is very serendipitous and self-explanatory, I will just let you read it for yourself without my commentary:

 Where then does wisdom come from?
 Where does understanding dwell?
 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
 concealed even from the birds in the sky.
 Destruction and Death say,
 “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
 God understands the way to it
 and he alone knows where it dwells,
 for he views the ends of the earth
 and sees everything under the heavens.
 When he established the force of the wind
 and measured out the waters,
 when he made a decree for the rain
 and a path for the thunderstorm,
 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
 he confirmed it and tested it.
 And he said to the human race,
 “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
 and to shun evil is understanding. Job 28: 20-28 NIV

This passage stopped me right in my tracks. It was like God Himself had stepped out of eternity to speak this to me. So I started my week praying “God give me wisdom” and I am ending my week with an entirely different prayer: “God teach me to fear you!”

Yours Truly.