Wisdom in Life

 

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. (Proverbs 3:13-18 ESV).

 

Each morning I try to follow a routine. A part of that routine is to look through several news feeds that I trust to report an accurate account of the current events. More and more I have noticed a greater division in our nation. Political, religious and economic division has driven a wedge between people groups and calls us to take sides. Some might shrug this condition off with a retort that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it really isn’t important. However, typically when disagreements arise, the first thing we tend to do is choose a side to stand on, arguing with the intention of proving just how right our side is. We fuel the debate by listening only “to respond” and further our position.  Rarely do we listen with the intention of understanding or, better yet, trying to create a workable solution.

 

I wonder how things might change if we stepped back to view these conflicts from God’s perspective and not our own or if we chose to seek wisdom and understanding amidst these divisions instead of pursuing the need to be right. The Bible is full of stories of people who chose this path of seeing God’s perspective to resolve their differences of opinion.  You’ll remember that Solomon was King David’s son and took over rule when David died, ultimately becoming a great king (cf. 2 Chronicles 1:1). With that greatness came a spirit of humility.  He had a spirit that sought peace and unity among God’s people, not one of division and strife. Solomon chose to pursue the things that were on God’s heart.

 

Solomon was given the opportunity to ask God for anything he desired. He asked for wisdom and understanding. This wisdom gave him a much different perspective that enabled him to rule well. He saw people as God saw them.  He was able to speak truth in love, not division. This is the way of wisdom; it seeks understanding, not a need to be right.  And above all else, it seeks to lift God’s Kingdom here on Earth.

 

Let’s choose to pray for God’s wisdom and understanding next time we feel called to draw a line in the sand and picking a side.  Let’s pray for eyes to see others as God sees them.  And let’s have a spirit of humility that pleases God as we speak His truth in love, not division.