The Wisdom That Matters

‘The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.’ Proverbs 14:1 (NIV)

Oh my, there are days where I am just so sure I am that foolish woman!  Surely I can do justice to the vision of that lady!

But none of us wants to be where she is.  We all want or desire order in our homes, our family, all of our endeavors.  However, that order seems to be hard pressed to want to come our way.  So what can we do about it?

Order comes from wisdom.  Since our God is a God of order, it follows that wisdom is also from Him.  Who else could have hung the stars in the sky, or caused the sun to shine on us at just the right times?  Who do we know who can cause the storm to cease, the winds to stop blowing, the waves to slow at the shoreline?  Only God.

His wisdom is a promise for His people.  But we only receive it if we ask for it, and if our desire is for the right reasons.  God is not likely to grant wisdom if we want it to bet on the ponies, or to hit the lottery, or to bring harm to a person for our gain.  He is surely ready to grant it when we seek wisdom for important decisions.  God does not want His people to make mistakes, so He is ready to offer us the use of His holy wisdom to simply help us.

I am reminded of a time when I faced a huge decision.  The decision I would make would dictate the direction of my life and the life of my family.  So of course, I needed all the help I could get. I was completely unsure of what to do.

So I did what I have always been taught to do…I prayed!  My father always told me that when I need the best wisdom, ask God.  I saw him do it, often, and I saw the peace and purpose he possessed after doing that.  Most of his decisions and actions turned out to be good for our family.  I didn’t see the ones that didn’t, but I am sure there may have been a few.  You see, while God will impart His wisdom to us freely, it is up to us to decide to follow it.  Sometimes we still move in the direction we want, or what we think is best.  But if we will be patient, wait on God, and allow Him to speak to us, instead of rushing into decisions that ‘feel good’, then our outcomes will be better, because His wisdom will be what is at play in our situations.

So, I prayed, and I waited.  The order I needed, wanted, in my life came when I followed God’s wisdom.  His wisdom is the only wisdom that will ever matter.

‘Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom, O Lord.’ Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

Blessings!