Tag Archives: wisdom

The Wise Way

bible, faith, God, justice, Lectionary, life, love, peace, Religion, theology,

Humility and wisdom,
or jealousy and selfishness?

Which way do I want to live?
Which life do I want to follow?
Which is the right way,
God’s way?

I know the answer,
but can I live it?

Will I cause trouble
and be cruel?

Or live with
purity,
friendliness,
gentleness,
kindness
and helpfulness?
Will I be a person who makes peace
or shatters it
wherever I go?

Fighting and arguing is so pointless,
so exhausting,
such a waste of effort.
living in love
and peace
is such a better use of energy,
more use to the world
and what God asks of me.

Lord,
I want my life to be clean
and lived the way you want it.
I give you my pain,
my battling,
my clumsiness
in dealing with others;
that I may live in your peace
and walk in your love.

Perfect Peace

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8 (CEV)

Wisdom from Above

13 Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do. 14 But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness, don’t brag or lie to cover up the truth. 15 That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself. 16 Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.

Friendship with the World

4 Why do you fight and argue with each other? Isn’t it because you are full of selfish desires that fight to control your body? 2 You want something you don’t have, and you will do anything to get it. You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want, and you won’t get it by fighting and arguing. You should pray for it. 3 Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.

7 Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you people who can’t make up your mind.

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Less Shouting, More Listening

bible, faith, God, Lectionary, life, Religion, theology, , ,

How I love to shout,
to share my opinions,
to make it sound
as if I have all the answers
and know everything.

I think I am right
and anyone who thinks differently
is wrong.
And I don’t want to hear
anything else.

But if I will just hear
that other voice,
your voice,
speaking,
teaching,
guiding,
even rebuking,
I would learn so much,
be so different;
know your ways
become more like you,
be a much more useful person
and save myself
a lot of grief.

Lord,
help me to listen.
Still me,
quieten me,
that I may hear the other,
you
and know what you think
– which is so much more important,
so much better,
so right.

Word of God Speak

Proverbs 1:20-33 (CEV)

Wisdom Speaks

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets
    wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
    as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
    being stupid fools?
Won’t you ever stop sneering
    and laughing at knowledge?
23     Listen as I correct you
    and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
    and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
    when I warned you.

26 “So when you are struck
    by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
    I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
    but I won’t listen;
    you will search,
    but you won’t find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
    and you refused
    to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
    when I warned you.

31 “Now you will eat the fruit
    of what you have done,
    until you are stuffed full
    with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
    to stupid fools.
33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
    without fear of disaster.”

Wisdom Personified

bible, faith, God, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion, theology, ,

What does wisdom look like
(probably not like this young lady!)
how can it be seen in my life?
What can I do,
how should I live if God is in my life?

To act with good sense
– your good sense
rather than mine
I would think.

To make every second count
for you.

To not be stupid,
which is easier said than done
it seems.

To let you fill my life
please God.

May I know
what you want me to do

always
for you Lord.

Jesus, All for Jesus

Ephesians 5:15-20 (CEV)

15 Act like people with good sense and not like fools. 16 These are evil times, so make every minute count. 17 Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. 19 When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. 20 Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.

For another post on this passage, see here