Wiser

"Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day."

Psalm 119:97

There's a lot that runs through my mind in the course of a day; the tasks at hand and how to do them efficiently and to the best of my ability, details I must handle, brainstorming of possible solutions to problems that have cropped up, past hurts and painful interactions with others, mistakes I've made, hurtful words I've said.  In short, there's a lot stirring around in this little brain of mine!

As I read today's passage, I see how different are the thoughts of this psalmist.  Instead of dwelling on the mundane details of life, festering sores, and past shortfalls, he thinks about lovely, pure, excellent and praise worthy things (Philippians 4:8).  He focuses his brainpower on God's instructions, His truths, and His revelations about Himself and His ways.  What benefit would I gain by doing the same?

Upper Hand.  It's often hard to know what to do or say.  I'm attacked, the object of slander and gossip, and my gut reaction is to defend myself, to go into damage control mode, to show everyone how wrong the rumors are.  I want people to know I'm not the person I've been made out to be.  I'm tempted to sink into the muck and join in the mudslinging.

Then His words flow through my mind.  I remember His goal; reconciliation of mankind with God (John 3:17, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19).  He reminds me of His pursuit of the lost and that apart from Jesus, there is nothing man can do but to do what comes naturally, to their own destruction (2 Timothy 2:23-26, Luke 19:10, John 15:5).  

Then it hits me; these gossips and slanderers are not my enemy.  I have an adversary who is craftily using people to do his evil bidding (Ephesians 6:12).  Now I have the right perspective.  Now I know the truth of the situation.  Now I have the upper hand and can allow God's love and grace to flow out through me, joining in with His pursuit of the lost.

God's commands gives me wisdom to handle difficult situations in a way that brings glory to God.

Best Teacher.  The model for learning in this world is that I sit under the instruction of a teacher.  As a student, I know less than the one imparting knowledge upon me.  I'm in need of instruction and am tasked with learning.

God has a different model.  His Word itself is the best teacher there is (2 Timothy 3:16).  This means there will be times when I may have more insight than my Sunday School teacher, the pastor who preaches each Sunday, or the dedicated leader of my women's Bible study group (Psalm 119:99).  This is something I must keep in mind when I'm in the position of leading.  The teacher does not always have all the answers for sometimes a new and deep insight can come from the student through the instruction found in God's own Word.

Steeping in God's Word throughout the day can give me great insight and understanding apart from man's normal pattern of learning.

Wisdom.  I used to think wisdom came with age, that the older I got, the more I'd have.  Then I learned from God's Word that wisdom has nothing to do with age and everything to do with one's relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.  He is the true source of all insight and understanding (Proverbs 1:7, James 1:5).

Therefore, it is possible for the young to know more about God and His will than the old.  As I grow older, it's important that I see young people who enjoy strong relationships with Jesus as sources of godly wisdom and be humble enough to learn from them.  On the flip side, I can't always expect my elders to have all the answers but I must test everything against the truth of God's Word.  When I submerge myself in God's teachings, I'll be able to discern the difference between godly wisdom and worldly knowledge.  Otherwise, I may get caught up following a faulty teaching simply because it came from someone older than I.

Soaking in God's wisdom throughout the day gives me wisdom beyond my years and discernment to distinguish godly messages from worldly ones no matter their source.

There is a lot my mind can ponder as I go through my days, but if I learn to meditate on the truth of God's Word I'll find I have the upper hand over my enemies, am learning from the best Teacher, and will gain wisdom that has nothing to do with age.  In these ways I'll gain more wisdom than any amount of experience or schooling could ever impart.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can train my mind on the nuggets of gold found in His Word.

When do I let my thoughts go where they may instead of guiding them toward God's Word?

How am I prejudice against young people, thinking they can't know more than I thus missing out on some godly wisdom they have to pass on to me?