Tag: Wisdom

The Wise Will Keep it Simple and Quiet

Thank you LORD for again giving me your Word for learning and understanding. You challenge me to think and to work through things for mine and other’s benefit.

I was lead to Ecclesiastes this morning to be reminded and taught of what it means to be wise. I began my reading a little confused until I went back about 10 verses and read through the passage a number of times.

Wisdom is understanding over time and through experience. There is no need to continually announce your knowledge to the world. It is important to speak truth and pass on to others that which is known, yet, there is no need to shout nor is there need to complicate things.

“15But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.” “17The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.”

“12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,

but the lips of a fool consume him.”

“14A fool multiplies words,

though no man knows what is to be,

and who can tell him what will be after him?” – Ecclesiastes 9:15, 17 & 10:12, 14 (ESV)

In the verses above I found what the LORD had for me today. I have been struggling lately with what seems to be people not listening or taking my experience seriously in my work. I seem to be ignored with what I share and it tends to wear on me as I doubt my worth in my role. What the LORD had for me today is that I do have worth thanks to the saving grace provided by Him. My role is to give the information that I know and allow others to use it where they will. I have to be more like the “poor, wise man” and work to deliver the city, yet not concern myself with whether or not someone remembers me.

Wisdom is to be shared, but as noted in the verses above, it is given and then let to sit. I have to remember that being loud, is not getting it done, as when someone does not want to hear, it does not matter the volume. Loud words to the deaf are just noise that mean nothing. I have to remember to give my information and allow others to search themselves to find the need for it and come to me when more is desired.

I also have to remember that there is no need to go into prolonged detail. As the old saying goes, “K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Silly”. Give the information in the way that others can and will learn from it, all others. Keep the words few. Why use 10 words when 5 will do just fine.

I ask the LORD daily for discernment in my bible study and for the Him to reveal to me that which He has for me. This morning He did just that. I am to be content in the wisdom He has given me. I am to share it quietly and simply for all to have the opportunity to benefit. I cannot be concerned with recognition in this world, as my reward is in heaven.

How are you working with what you know? Are you shouting it from the rooftops and using many words? What if you were to give to others quietly and keep it simple and then letting it sit?

Wisdom, Get Her and Keep Her

“7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get insight.

8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will honor you if you embrace her.”

— Proverbs 4:7-8 (ESV)

This morning I was reminded that wisdom is referred to as her, and for good reason. As men we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church. We are to get her and love her and devote to her fully and completely and solely. And when we do, we will grow together more and more devoted to one another. As the man or husband we are to leave our families to be with her as our family. Devotion to her in this manner is immense and as a husband of 28 years, I would have it no other way.

Before my devotion to her, I had to first get her. With wisdom, it is no different. I have to first get her and then I can devote to her. I have to seek her out and strive to know her and once I do, I will devote to her and grow. I will gain more of her each day with my devotion to her.

There is a saying, “Getting to number one is the easy part, staying there is where things get hard”. The same can be said for wisdom. I am concerned that we are currently in a world where information is so readily available, that we are mistaking it for knowledge and wisdom. I am not sure that we are seeking to really know things and are resting on the idea that we find the information we were looking for and then “forget” it as we move on to the next thing. This is the “getting to number one…” easy part and are only reaching the pinnacle and then falling back down.

I have to remember to place value in “staying” number one. I have to devote to wisdom and not just gain information. I have to dig in and care for what I learn. I have to commit to it. I have to cultivate it. I have to cherish it. Wisdom is her.

I see the parallel to Lori. I see that I have devoted to Lori. I dig in a care for Lori. I committed to Lori. I cultivated with Lori. I cherish Lori. These are the ways I keep Lori and not just get her. And the same goes for wisdom. All of these are the way to keep her and not just get her.

What are you doing to get wisdom? Are you only focused on getting her? What if you first get her and then devote to, care for, cultivate with, and cherish wisdom to keep her?

Rejoice in Fulfilled Desire

We are, as I have read, learned, and remembered during my study of the word “desire”, to desire the LORD and if there is something other than Him, it should be wisdom. Our fascination with things of this world is not sustainable as it will be gained and lost in the blink of an eye. The desire of the LORD and of wisdom are forever. The LORD has been and will be forever. Wisdom is gained and allows for continued growth and understanding.

“19A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.”

— Proverbs 13:19 (ESV)

Here we find the direction as to the fulfillment of desire. We are to relish in the fulfillment as it is “sweet to the soul”. So, taking in that we are to desire the LORD and wisdom, what a great thing to know that the LORD and wisdom are “sweet to the soul”. And it is true.

The LORD loves, cares for, guides, and protects us. He provides for our every need and even blesses us beyond those needs. He is the one constant that can be counted on in this world. He is there always and will not turn away.

Likewise with wisdom. With wisdom we can see and adjust to that which is presented. Knowing that what is can be changed with a little understanding is so amazing.

Bryson, my oldest son, commented to me a while back that I was the smartest person he knew. Now, I know that there are many people who are smarter than I am and Bryson likely knows those people as well. But, for him to recognize that I have something inside me, wisdom, is certainly fantastic in my eyes.

Here we have desire that is or will be fulfilled, the LORD and wisdom. I have received the LORD through my acceptance of the salvation gift He offered. I have experience in this world that leads to wisdom and understanding. For each of these I rejoice as they are “sweet to the soul”. I have and will continue to gain from these desires being fulfilled and will continue seeking them as I go.

What desire do you have? Are you aware of the impact of the fulfillment of those desires? What is the difference in the long term gain from those desires compared to the fulfillment of the desire for the LORD and wisdom, and are they worth your rejoicing?

Desire Wisdom, Nothing Else Compares

“7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” – 1 Kings 3:7-9 (ESV)

King Solomon prayed for wisdom. He knew that without wisdom, all else was futile without wisdom to start things off. And the LORD granted him his request as it came from the heart and was in the interest of doing God’s work.

Here we have an example of asking for something that is to be used to further God’s kingdom and yet, we in the now, continue to ask for monetary or fleeting things.

“13Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding,

14for the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than gold.

15She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

— Proverbs 3:13-15 (ESV)

Nothing we desire, beyond the relationship with Christ, will compare to wisdom. It is wise to desire the relationship with Christ which leads to all other things.

Solomon had it right in his prayer to the LORD for wisdom. When granted, it allowed him to do the work of the LORD in not just a moment, but for the long haul. And that is what I am looking for, the information and ability to do the work for the long haul.

This morning I have reflected on the work I am doing for the LORD and realized that I have completed eight years of Trevor’s Thoughts. I have done well to study God’s Word diligently over that time and subsequently sharing my thoughts as I do. This study has not been about growing monetarily, or in some physical way, but growing in the LORD. I have learned so much over this time and yet still have so much more to learn. I am looking for that which will sustain me over time and not just feed me today. I am seeking wisdom and not just knowledge. Nothing else that I could desire compares to what I have and will gain from the LORD and the wisdom He grants me.

What are you seeking? Are you desiring to gain from the monetary or the world? What if you were to seek wisdom, knowing that all other desires will gain little?

Seek Wisdom, Keep on the Path of the Righteous

I have been studying and writing on the word “righteous” and that to take on righteous actions we have to dwell in the LORD and work to do His will. This morning as I studied, I was brought to another realization. I have to also be seeking wisdom.

“1My son, if you receive my words

and treasure up my commandments with you,

2making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

3yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

4if you seek it like silver

and search for it as for hidden treasures,

5then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.”

“20So you will walk in the way of the good

and keep to the paths of the righteous.”

— Proverbs 2:1-5 & 20 (ESV)

I love learning. I love the idea and the practical results of it. As learning takes place, so does the positive results. Although the results may not come right away, they are still evident at some point when looking back at the learning that took place. This morning is no different. The paths of the righteous are where the wise are found.

I have to be clear that being wise does not mean intelligence, as there are a lot of people with extreme amounts of intelligence that do not actively use that intelligence. The wise are those who take in information and apply that learning as they move forward. It is the understanding of the implications of the learning and using that understanding to process things in the now and maintaining those into the future.

It is good to gain information and learn. It is however better to be wise and be able to apply the information. I have to remember to seek wisdom and not just information. The wisdom I gain will lead me to the paths of the righteous where I will encounter others who are working for the LORD as well. Yes, I will find others doing the will of the LORD on the paths of the righteous. As the seeking of wisdom is what comes from our seeking of the LORD and finding Him in our heart and working to His will which leads to the righteous actions found as we traverse the path.

That is a lot of talking in circles to get to the following point. It is important to seek wisdom. We find wisdom in the LORD. Wisdom leads to righteous action. Righteous action keeps us grounded on the path the LORD has for us.

What are you seeking? Are you looking for information to solve something? What if you sought wisdom in the LORD to know something and allowed that wisdom to lead you on the paths of the righteous?

Wisdom Through Reproof

It is good to be corrected when we are doing or have done wrong. It is in the correction that we learn.

“15The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”

— Proverbs 29:15 (ESV)

It would be great if we were to be able to learn all that we need to know without any instruction or correction. The real world does not work that way. We will make mistakes and should embrace them so that we might learn. Notice the verse above, a child that is left on their own without teachings and learning from their parents is a child that is not going to be on the right path. It is important that we are out there learning through doing and making mistakes.

Now I know, not all of us have those parents that teach us the ways to move forward, and in some of those cases, there may be parents that are tearing us down for not knowing. In those cases, I am sure that there was or is someone in our lives that will take on the role of the parent to teach once things do not go as planned.

I am pretty sure that those who have made mistakes, were corrected and moved forward are those who have done pretty well in the world (and I am not speaking of monetarily). I just had a conversation with my mother about my youngest son and his decisions in life. He chose to join the Navy after trying two years of university. He learned to give things a try and learn from them. He failed, although he did not give up. He continued to look forward and learn. It was fully his decision and as we speak to him we can hear that he feels as though he has made the right choice. He learned from his failure and carried it forward to the now and into his future. My mother is proud of the learning that he gained and of the learning that I gained to lead him to continue trying and learning.

God has given each of us those in our lives who point us in the direction we should go and correct us when we get off track. The LORD gives us the ultimate direction, yet it is those parental figures in our lives who hold us to account to move that direction. It is the reproof or correction from those parental figures that gives us the defined direction.

What direction are you going? Are you just plowing ahead and continuing to move with reckless abandon? What if you took a moment to listen to the parental figures around you and learned from the mistakes you make to press forward in the direction that God has for you?

Rich in Wisdom

Wealth is something that is fully and completely misconstrued in our society today. There is the general thought that wealth is related to what you have in the bank or what monetary items you can display. There is very little thought to the wealth of biblical design.

“3He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,

but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.”

— Proverbs 29:3 (ESV)

This morning I am reading another verse that iterates that which makes a father glad, wisdom. And as I look at this verse, I find myself looking to the last word, wealth. I am thinking of just what is wealth to look like for me as a follower of Christ. Is it what I have the capacity to purchase or how much I have in the bank or what others can see as I display the monetary value of things I have? And then I look at the first part of the verse and see the riches that I should be counting on, wisdom. Solomon, who was extremely monetarily rich, knew that all of that would not last, and as so, asked God to make him wealthy in wisdom.

I have to look at the same approach as Solomon and know that all the money in the world will not last. It can and will be squandered on foolish things. When we look to our monetary wealth as the measure of our success, we are brought to the place of superficial value in the world. Think about what one can do with all the money they have. They have the ability to buy things for people and provide things for people and prop themselves up with all they can give to others. But, what about when the money is gone, what is their station in life then. When that which provided your value, money, dries up, then the prevailing consequence is that one is now forgotten as there is nothing more for them to give to others.

I have read and heard of too many instances where those who acquired great monetary wealth were found to be destitute sometime later as they squandered all of the wealth and do not know how they will provide going forward without that wealth.

Then we have those who have built their wealth on the intrinsic, like knowledge and wisdom. For these never want for anything and are always contributing something. These are those who may not have all the monetary wealth in the world, yet somehow they are always found giving to others. And in those contributions, there is no fanfare or spotlight on them as they give, yet those who receive are better off than they would have been with an extra $20.

This is where the true wealth is found. God provides and blesses. It is from those blessings that we are able to impact. We look to often at what we want instead of what we need and confuse the two. The needs are the provision and the wants are the blessings. When I am seeking for provision of wisdom I am rich with all I need and then when God blesses me with more, I am able to provide as opposed to squandering it all on me.

What is your idea of riches? Are you looking to have all that you want and that will somehow make you better off? What if you were to see your wisdom as the provision that makes you rich and God’s blessings as that which you can share with others?

Truth, Wisdom, Instruction, and Understanding

This morning as I continue my study of the word “father” I am led to Proverbs 23. As usual, God had plans for me and my learning this morning. Too often I go into something expecting one thing and receiving something entirely different.

“23Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”

— Proverbs 23:23 (ESV)

Where yes, if you look at the verses before and after the above, there are the references to “father”, I also see that which is in the one verse above, and that is truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

It is not a coincidence that Solomon asked for wisdom from God and not riches. It is too often that we go looking for the quick “fix” to what seems to be working against us. I know that I just want things to be over as opposed to understanding them. Yet, God, our Father, is glad in us when we are wise.

“24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.”

— Proverbs 23:24 (ESV)

And it is more than just wisdom that we should be seeking. It is truth and instruction and understanding as well.

I pay attention to politics for the purpose of understanding what is there and what is coming. In doing so, I have to spend a lot of time sifting through the deception, half-truths, and outright lies that are presented. It does not matter the side of the aisle you are on, there is plenty of it to go through. And yet, there are those who are allowing themselves to be duped as they accept what they are told and do not seek with wisdom for the truth and understanding. They are averse to the instruction as it is easier and faster just to take everything at the word of those speaking.

Our Father wants us to seek the truth with wisdom through instruction to gain understanding. When we do, we are blessed with discernment and can then act according to God’s plan.

What are you accepting from others? Are you allowing others to dictate what you know? What if you were to seek truth using wisdom through instruction to gain understanding of God’s plan and how you might execute His plan?

Be Wise for Your Father

It is so easy to say, “be wise”. But what is wisdom?

Wisdom: a: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships: INSIGHT, b: good sense: JUDGMENT – Merriam-Webster Online

It is one then to have knowledge of a topic or subject or instance. It is quite another to know what to do or how to use that knowledge in application. I know that there are a lot of things that I have stored up over my years that really do not have much application in the world on a day to day basis. I like to call all of that useless knowledge.

Now where useless knowledge is just that, useless, most of the time, there are times when it becomes invaluable when applied in the right circumstance. As an example, spouting off the atomic weight of iron, 55.845 u, at a dinner party is of little value. But that same bit of information in an interview for the job of a scientist is invaluable. That is the knowledge of the subject or “INSIGHT” as opposed to just having the information.

“1The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.”

— Proverbs 10:1 (ESV)

I am a father to two sons and both of them are very intelligent. They have demonstrated their knowledge in their schoolwork as well as in the world with what they have accomplished, and I am very proud of them. But, I will say, there are times that they do not really use their intelligence and it is a bit perplexing. When they are demonstrating that knowledge and wisdom in their choices to apply that knowledge I am just beaming. Yet, when they seem to have left their brain at the house when they left I can but shake my head in wonder.

All of this applies to our relationship with God, our heavenly Father as well. It is up to me to do the work and demonstrate my knowledge through application and bring my brain with me everywhere I go. I am here to please only one, and that is God. I do so as noted in the above verse by being wise. And Just what is wisdom but “INSIGHT” and “JUDGMENT”. It is my job to be conscious of my work to ensure that I am demonstrating wisdom throughout.

Of course, there will always be those times where I will not be the most wise. I will make mistakes as will we all. There will be time where I am caught up on the moment and God, as well as others will simply shake their head. But, those should be the exception to the norm and rule. I am to be focused on doing the work of Christ and when I am, I will be able to work to the application of knowledge and avoid the foolishness.

What is your approach to using that which you know? Are you out there using it foolishly? What if you were to be out there using it to demonstrate your “INSIGHT” and “JUDGMENT” and WISDOM?