I know, I have already indicated that we are built up in and to love, and now I am writing that it is through wisdom we are built. It may be confusing to some, but not to me this morning. You see, in order to build up in love, one must understand. Understanding comes from wisdom, and therefor is certainly part of the building process.
“3By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.”
— Proverbs 24:3-4 (ESV)
In the above verses, the writer, likely Solomon, is outlining the need for wisdom in our house. It is one thing to know something, but it is something else to understand. One can have information yet not understand the value of that information beyond the moment. For example, and I may have mentioned this before, I gain information on how to repair the washer or dryer from videos online, but that does not mean that I can replicate that day after day after day without looking again at the online videos. In order to gain understanding, I would have to devote myself to the information and commit it to memory for quick recall and repeated use.
The same is for the use of information in the building in love. I have to devote myself to the gaining of love to experience and understand love. Once I have that understanding, I am able to build my house on love and into love that is Christ.
The more we understand the more thoughtful and consequential are our decisions. As I gain in understanding and wisdom, my actions are dictated by that understanding and wisdom. Actions that are calculated but not without risk. The difference is that the risk is known and accepted as part of the building. The understanding and wisdom diminish the risk to the control of the LORD and His will of provision and blessing.
The opposite is true without understanding and wisdom. In those decisions, we tend to just go after it without care and let the chips fall where they may. Yes, there is risk in those decisions, but the risk is far greater as things have not been ruled out or the consequences have not been accepted as consequential. The risk is controlled by desire and selfish gain as opposed to the LORD and His will of provision and blessing.
Slow and steady is the way with wisdom and understanding. Think about the cookie cutter houses that are built quickly. Yes, many are built in a short time to give shelter to those in need. But the materials may not be the best quality and the sustainability of those houses are suspect. Comparing to the custom homes built that take months or years to erect. Castles still stand today from hundreds of years ago as they were built with the best of materials and over time to get it just right.
Our houses, to be built to sustain, should be built with wisdom and understanding. Slow and steady and calculated. With only the best materials (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) to ensure the long standing and established house of the LORD.
What is your house built on? Are you a builder to get it up as fast as possible? What if you chose the quality materials that are derived from the wisdom and understand that comes from the LORD?
Trevor's Thoughts 