 Have
you ever noticed how differently people's lives turn out as they grow with age? Some
grow in wisdom and understanding, handling life's challenges with grace
and earning the respect and admiration of others. Others hit a point at
which they stop growing in character and maturity,
trapped by barriers that they cannot even see, but which they never grow beyond. The list of
barriers to growth is long and destructive - addiction, adultery, anger, arrogance,
bigotry, bitterness, criticism, cruelty, deceit, dishonesty, disrespect, distrust, envy,
gluttony, greed, hate, hypocrisy, impatience, infidelity, judgmentalism, lust,
lying, materialism, murder, prejudice, pride, resentment, self-centeredness,
selfishness, self-pity, self-righteousness, thievery, unforgiveness,
vengefulness, and worry, just to name
a few. Though many in variety, they all find their root in putting yourself ahead of
God and others. Those who never grow beyond this inevitably suffer the consequences, finding themselves
trapped within their own smallness, facing endless problems with
relationships and circumstances. If you've ever owned a fish in a
fishbowl, you know that life in a fishbowl stinks, for the fish and for
those around the fish. So what is it that can
make such a difference in life's outcome? For most people it's a matter of
turning to a higher source of wisdom than their own, and there is no
higher source of wisdom than that given us by God. There's only so
much we can learn by our own experiences in life. Just as with any
subject in school, you learn more and learn faster if you turn to the
wisdom of those who came before you. Even if you were to live to
be one hundred years old, you would still never learn as much on your own
about life as you can in the one moment your turn to the Creator of life as
your Teacher and Counselor. It's a horribly humbling and even
frightening experience because you have to
finally face your own smallness and limitations. Once you break
through that barrier of self-interest though, you find an
incredible freedom to swim and grow in an ocean of God's infinite and eternal
wisdom, love and support.
The wise will be put
to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the
word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?
Jeremiah 8:9 Call
to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you
do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3 I
thought, 'Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.' But it is
the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him
understanding.
Job 32:7-8 All
your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
Psalms 119:160 The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts
have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Psalms 111:10 If
any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden
is light.
Words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28-30 I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Words of Jesus Christ in John 10:10 If
you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and
he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of
truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows
him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Words of Jesus Christ in
John 14:15-17 |
