The Way of Wisdom

"Wisdom has built her house;

she has set up its seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

She has sent out her servants, and she calls

from the highest point of the city,

'Let all who are simple come to my house!'

To those who have no sense she says,

'Come, eat my food

and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live;

walk in the way of insight."

Proverbs 9:1-6

There are so many voices calling out to me, luring me down varying paths promised to bring good things.  These messages sound beneficial at times, make sense, seem right.  How do I know if I'm on the right track?  Here is one way:

Correction.  It can be hard to hear.  I like to think I'm pretty smart, clever enough to choose the right way.  I'm not as good as I think, however.  I'm often off-base in my thinking, or what I cling to as truth is actually far from it, or the ways I've learned to cope with the ups and downs of life is not God's best for me.  How do I respond when a loving voice gently corrects me, showing me a better way, suggesting I might not have it right?

It's easy to be offended when I hear words of criticism, no matter how gentle.  Most people have been in the position of trying to offer words of advice or help someone else see the error of their ways and found themselves in the middle of a heated argument.  Heels are dug in, defenses raised, the nails come out and teeth are barred in preparation for a fight!  Then there are the rare times when the rebuke is received with thanks, and my words of suggestion are considered and treasured as vital to their growth.

Which category do I fall into?  Am I quick to defend my choices, refusing to even ponder the thought that I might be wrong?  Or do I gladly take direction from others, adopting a teachable spirit that believes there is always something new to learn?  The first is that of the foolish, the latter marks the wise (Proverbs 9:7-9).

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm willing to accept instruction with great joy.

Attitude toward God.  He's the big guy upstairs.  He won't mind if I indulge; He knows I can't resist.  What can God do to help me?  Even He can't change a woman like me; I'm beyond saving.  It's up to me to find the answers.  Who am I that God would help a little guy like me?

It's easy to develop a low view of God, not seeing Him as He really is.  As I go through life and hear varying messages, I'm often swayed into giving God less and less respect.  While He is above all things, sovereign over all creation, powerful enough to speak the world into existence yet gentle enough to direct the lives of even the smallest of sparrows, I often relegate Him to nothing more than an impotent Grandfatherly type, an observing-yet-uninvolved far-away Being (Matthew 10:29-31).  I fail to revere Him as Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver and Taker of life, the very Reason for my existence and the Center of all things.

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm learning to respect God in all of His glory (Proverbs 9:10a).

Knowledge of God.  I live in the age of information.  There is a surplus of data waiting for me to gather it, a plethora of facts to peruse, a bunch of trivia with which to amuse myself.  I could spend every spare moment collecting knowledge.  But how much time do I spend getting to know God?  While it's not my intention to lay a burden of guilt on my shoulders, my desire (or lack of it) to grow closer to God and gain understanding of His ways is a good indicator of which direction I'm heading in life.  

If I'm more concerned with learning how to stem global warming, invest money, plant a successful garden, or a million other worthwhile interests, yet rarely wonder about God, wanting to find out more about His infinite character, it's time to take pause.  If I've developed a hunger for God and His Word, looking forward to each moment I spend with Him as He teaches me more about His deep ways, I'm headed in the right direction.  May I ask God to open the eyes of my heart so I will see all the blessings that are mine in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:16-21) and desire to know more each day.

I'm on the right track, following the way of wisdom, if I'm seeking knowledge of God (Proverbs 9:10b).

It's sometimes hard to know if I'm headed in the right direction.  With all of the choices available to me, I just might be gullible enough to be swayed into taking the wrong path or hard-headed enough to stick to the one that leads away from God's best for me.  How do I know?  There are many signs, but if I'm willing to accept correction, learning to revere God, and hungry for more knowledge of God, chances are I'm headed in the way of life.  It's not popular to walk the way of wisdom, but the heavenly treasure I find there is worth every struggle.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can value godly wisdom above worldly knowledge. 

When do I seek to grow my intellect but fail to cultivate my knowledge of God?

How am I showing disrespect for God in the way I think of Him or refer to Him in conversation?