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 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.)
Yesterday we considered the danger of hasty words. Godly people should think Biblically about all subjects, including speech. A calm speaker realizes the power of words and chooses carefully when and how to speak. Another remedy to rashness is to practice listening. Proverbs 18:13 says, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” To listen to others is to exercise good manners and common sense, for we might just learn something! Failure to listen indicates a low regard for the speaker and probably too high of a regard for ourselves. James 1:19 reminds us, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” The three commands are linked: if we are slow to hear, we are more likely to be hasty to speak and rapid to wrath. God’s insights are ever the best. Moreover, remember that He listens to us, imperfect as we are.