Putting the I into WISDOM
The Christians who have most influenced me for good have had a fully functional familiarity with the book of Proverbs. They were (and are) able to take their considerable knowledge and apply it to their lives, providing both godly examples and godly advice. Join with me as each one of us endeavors to put the I into WISDOM. Let us seek to exemplify God’s wisdom in our daily lives. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Most of us are quite familiar with Proverbs 1:7, which says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The starting point for wisdom must be “the fear of the LORD.” This fear includes a genuine sense of awe and also some good old-fashioned trembling. It is a unique combination; for as we are drawing back, we are drawing closer to God. Perhaps we have lost a bit of both because we have known God for a long time and, as with any long-term relationship, have become quite comfortable. There is comfort in being comfortable, of course; there is a positive aspect in knowing God this well. However, let us remember two things. First, without God, we are absolutely ignorant of spiritual truths (Romans 1:22; Ephesians 4:18; I Peter 1:14). Second, it is the active work of God which draws us to an appropriate fear of Him. In John 6:44, Jesus said, “No man can come to ME except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” A response of reverential fear is just that – a response, a response which is our responsibility.