Wisdom & Understanding

I awoke this morning to the pitter-patter of rain drops splashing on our window and the sound of water gurgling down the adjacent drainpipe.  I had just had a wonderful dream about my wife wearing a really cute black dress and as she stirred next to me, I arose to pull up an additional blanket over her.  I had a good and peaceful feeling about me as I walked into the living room a few minutes later.  When I glanced over to our white leather couch, I spotted the dog all stretched out in sleepy ecstasy!  She began to stir when she saw me from the corner of her and wiggled to acknowledge my presence. 

Well that sight was just too inviting to pass by, so I sat on the coffee table in front of the couch and started to scratch behind her left ear.  In that moment of quiet solitude and peace I began to reflect on the events of our recent lives and was drawn back once again, to the negative reactions of a few of our extended family.  But it was not so much the words, the actions or the sting they inflicted… this morning, I was touched with the feelings of the things that may have caused their actions.

What suddenly came over me was the strong sense of fear and insecurity that might have been driving them.   That reality almost brought tears to my eyes and I immediately found myself praying Ephesians 3:19, that they would be able to personally experience the intimate knowledge of the love of Christ, which surpasses all their natural understanding and the limited options that the natural has to offer, and thereby open up the door for them to be filled with the fullness of God and His love and peace!

The peace of God is the greatest guide and stabilizer that we can have in this life and that peace comes through an ever increasing experiential knowledge of the intimacy of Christ’s love for you and me.  Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth” (Easy-to-Read Version/God’s Word ©) 

While sitting in the darkened living room this morning before I opened up the blinds, I could physically sense what it might be like to depend on one’s own knowledge when tough times arise.  That hopelessness can easily become overwhelming and lead you down paths that do not conform to His ways of love.  Many times, our own knowledge is not complete or accurate and leads down a bumpy path that upsets everyone involved!

The James Moffatt translation has an interesting spin on these verses.  It says to “Have mind of him wherever you may go…”  That could be taken a few ways.  The most common being that we should be mindful of Him all the time, in every decision we make.  Another thought would be that we, as Paul told his readers in I Corinthians 2:16, are to “… have the mind of Christ.”  In other words, that we should think and act like He teaches us to do by precept and example in the pages of our bibles.

Now I know that this is or should be common sense among us Christians, but when one is touched by the sting of those who do not act in such a manner, the pain and confusion that they must have felt becomes very real!  Proverbs 3:17 talks about the wisdom and understanding of God’s ways and says that: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” (KJV)

Let me tell you… I’ve been on the other end of those who did not act within the parameters of God’s loving wisdom and understanding and this morning I got an idea of what might have been going on in them at that time… and it is far from pleasant and peaceful!  It is definitely not an experience that I would want others to have to go through.  Today I choose life… His life of love and peace.  A life that oozes with His wisdom and understanding and is mixed with lots of patience!  What do you think… would you like to join me?  Have a great day by staying in tune to His Word and His ways, and keep asking yourself… “What or Whom am I expecting to pass God’s Loving Wisdom and Understanding On today?