My title today is Wisdom of God vs Wisdom of the World Or Two Wisdoms: Pick One
One of the hardest things to admit as a young pastor was “I don’t know it all.” When I came out of Bible college, I believed I had the answers. After all, I’d been schooled for 4 years on what to think(but not how to think). But I digress. 🙂 I was basically told, “They (the world/unbelievers/other denominations) will say this (fill in the blank), so you say this (fill in the blank). There was only one problem: the world, etc was not asking those questions anymore. To my way of thinking now, it was like taking a 1960s approach to church life in a 2019 situation. There is a disconnect. So I had to finally resign to incompetent and incomplete learning and START ALL OVER AGAIN. But how? I didn’t know how to think! So I approached God’s Word with a childlike innocence and said, “Please teach me.” That eventually meant leaving the comfort of my denominational breast; of forging friendships with others outside “my camp”; of losing contact with colleagues with whom I no longer agreed on points of doctrine; and never again visiting my alumni. (There were other reasons also).
In his book, A Shelter in the time of Storm, Paul David Tripp brings out something interesting. He writes:
Proverbs says it very well: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ I like John Calvin’s paraphrase of that: ‘There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.’ There can be no better place to go to school than to the University of the Lord and there could be no better course of study than the way of the Lord.” (p.125)
“Sin reduces us all to fools…it makes us believe we are wise.” Tripp (p.126)
The need for wisdom is evident-in my life, in yours-every day. A daily prayer for wisdom is not a bad place to start each day; as one goes through the day; as one reflects on his day. Wisdom is a necessity.
“Father, help me to be a seeker of wisdom. Actually, help me to be a seeker of You. As I know You, add wisdom. Fill me with a love for You. Please give me Your wisdom-wisdom that encourages others; teaches others; discerns right and wrong.”
I am not into promoting my other blog on this site but if you would like to see the back story to this post, please check out this post on my other blog. Check here to for an update.
Feeling like God is speaking peace to my heart here during a time when Dick and I are feeling anxious over the future of our denomination. Thanks, Bill.
I pray for that for you and Dick Pam. It has to be unsettling for you. For many.
Yes, that’s a great prayer to say daily – that God would grant us His wisdom as we seek His will for us.
Blessings, Bill!
I try to pray that daily Martha. Not sure if I’m a good example of answered prayer. 🙂
Good for y0u, Bill. And you began to be the man God born you to be. Love your heart and passion, brother.
Thanks Floyd. I want to be that man more and more.