Wisdom and understanding
by Pastor Peter Bean
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Listen carefully to wisdom; set your mind on understanding (Proverbs 2:2).
For the next few days, the readings are about wisdom and understanding. Where do you get your wisdom from? What gives you understanding?
Many might say most wisdom comes from the Bible. Others would suggest it comes from someone experienced in life – perhaps an older friend. Although, the younger ones among us have their fair share of wisdom too. Some would say it comes from a wide range of reading. Others might suggest it comes from times of silence and meditation.
It is fair to say there are many sources of wisdom. And that’s fair enough. If God made all things, perhaps wisdom resides in all things. If Christ was involved in creating all things (Colossians 1:16), then the idea of wisdom can be explored through any and all things!
But Paul also says Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). So it would be wise to make Christ our starting point when searching for wisdom and understanding. Living in Christ’s grace and blessing; caring for the poor; seeking justice; practising compassion; walking daily with Jesus. If we aim for these things, wisdom and understanding may just happen to occur naturally, as part of our everyday life in and with Christ.
I’m not going to stop reading the Bible. More widely, I’m not going to stop listening to others who have more experience than me in all sorts of areas. I’m not going to stop seeing God in creation and being pleasantly surprised by the Spirit’s revelation of understanding in nature.
I will aim to have Christ as the starting point; to attempt to love and live as he did; to welcome God’s presence in all I do and see and read. I am going to embrace the Holy Spirit’s stirring in my experiences of life. And I am going to live immersed in grace. Perhaps as I do that, some wisdom may just appear in my words and actions.
Christ, the wisdom of God, giver of all good gifts, fill my life with your love, wisdom and understanding. Amen.
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