Today I am asking about wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I remember as a pre-teen/teenager every night religiously I would pray that God would give me these three things above all else. That I would know HIS wisdom and that it would guide me. I find myself craving these three pieces again in my life.
God led me to the following verses today in my devotions.
Proverbs 2:3-6
If you cry out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as you would silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:11
Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works everything for his own ends even the wicked for a day of disaster.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your path straight.
Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom though it cost all you have, get understanding.
The first verse seems pretty self explanatory. I get the image of a kid looking for a treasure or eggs on an easter hunt. The excitement and joy in pursuing the target thrills them. They leave no rock unturned to find what they are looking for. It also speaks of looking for silver and realize how hard we all work to make money or more money. Also the things most families sacrifice for the pursuit of it. This shows the passion we are suppose to have for searching and desiring insight, understanding and knowledge and how these things come from the MOUTH of God. God wants us to seek him with this passion to sit at his feet and listen like a child intently listens to their father tell a story. He tells us to cry out to him for these things but what does this mean? Is it simply devotional time, prayer time, worship time or coming with a heart ready to intently listen?
The second verse the Lord showed me has me thinking. "Discretion will protect you" What does that really mean. The Websters dictionary defines discretion as,
| Definition | |
| Noun | 1. Freedom to act or judge on one's own.[Wordnet] 2. Knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress; "the servants showed great tact and discretion".[Wordnet] 3. Refined taste; tact.[Wordnet] 4. The power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies.[Wordnet] 5. The trait of judging wisely and objectively.[Wordnet] 6. Disjunction; separation.[Websters] 7. The quality of being discreet; wise conduct and management; cautious discernment, especially as to matters of propriety and self-control; prudence; circumspection; wariness.[Websters] 8. Discrimination.[Websters] 9. Freedom to act according to one's own judgment; unrestrained exercise of choice or will.[Websters |
I love the description: The quality of being discreet; wise conduct and management; cautious discernment, especially as to matters of propriety and self-control; prudence; circumspection; wariness Knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress. It points to how we act not just how we think. How people perceive us. What do our actions, our words, our thoughts say about ourselves and who we are in Him. Do we put ourselves in positions that embarrass ourselves, that show humbleness? Do we present ourselves as put together? Does the lack of these things throughout our lives put us in harms way? Does the act of discretion, modesty, self control, prudence give us a knowledge we would not otherwise have?
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works everything for his own ends even the wicked for a day of disaster. God can turn the worst things into a blessing. So many times the experiences we have had can be used to minister to someone else if we only choose to allow God to work through us, heal us. I think if we live our life even the small details for God giving him the power to use the good and the bad we will succeed.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your path straight.
I love this verse but is also a challenge because do we really trust easily. Blind trust is hard for many of us. We are so easily let down by those around us that I think it interferes with how much we actually trust God. Despite what we want to do most of us have closed off part of our heart to trusting anyone. To trust we have to give up control of everything. To recognize and feel at peace that the Lord knows what he is doing and will never give us more than we can handle. This verse also makes me ask the question how do you know whose understanding you are leaning on your own or Gods. I think the answer to this is learn to listen. To hear the Holy Spirit speaking and guiding you. Always going back to Christ. Always give him credit. Always ask him what he would have you do. Talk to him every step of the way for the good and the bad. This friendship will guide you just as the earthly friends you keep guide you.
Finally, Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom though it cost all you have, get understanding.
This is a life challenge. A life pursuit. Something that should be nurtured in each of us. Sometimes this might mean through experience. A reminder to learn from our past and let it show in our actions. It is also a reminder to listen to those that are wise. I think without wisdom and understanding we can not fully understand or have the maturity to know God and his Love.
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