Monday, September 18, 2006
Thinking About Wisdom
Adrian Warnock has been posting on Proverbs lately. I am gearing up to teach a mid-week Bible study to High School Seniors this year and we are starting off the first couple of months talking about "wisdom" as what they should endeavor to acquire to help them with collegiate life. It's a topic deeply on my mind.
As I approach the topic, certain scriptures ring in my head.
I know sometimes I like the sound of my own voice an awful lot. Worse, I feel a pressure to put something up here everyday, I feel compelled to utterance. Such compulsion can easily lead to such utterance without the requisite development of wisdom that comes from submission.
I also know that sometimes I think study and reading constuitutes submission. That is surely part of it, but there is more
There is a lot of talk about "discernment" lately. A lot of that talk, not all mind you, but a lot, strikes me as permission to be mean, and more, permission to be "RIGHT." Well, wisdom defines "RIGHT" and wisdom comes not from utterance, but from submission. The discerner needs to listen and accept discipline not just before, but as he/she utters their discernment.
Related Tags: wisdom, submission, utterance, discernment
As I approach the topic, certain scriptures ring in my head.
- Rom 1:21-22 - For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,
- Job 28:28 - "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'"
- Prov 9:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
- Prov 1:29 - Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
- Prov 12:18 - There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Prov 15:2 - The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.
- Prov 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
I know sometimes I like the sound of my own voice an awful lot. Worse, I feel a pressure to put something up here everyday, I feel compelled to utterance. Such compulsion can easily lead to such utterance without the requisite development of wisdom that comes from submission.
I also know that sometimes I think study and reading constuitutes submission. That is surely part of it, but there is more
Prov 19:20 - Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.Reading, studying, that's easy, but listening, now that's hard - and accepting discipline? Aren't I too old for that now?
There is a lot of talk about "discernment" lately. A lot of that talk, not all mind you, but a lot, strikes me as permission to be mean, and more, permission to be "RIGHT." Well, wisdom defines "RIGHT" and wisdom comes not from utterance, but from submission. The discerner needs to listen and accept discipline not just before, but as he/she utters their discernment.
Related Tags: wisdom, submission, utterance, discernment
