"The Principal Thing"

"The Principal Thing"    

    

   Wisdom can be defined as the capacity to properly apply knowledge and understanding.    "I (wisdom) lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment" (Proverbs 8:20).  We can possess facts, and we can even properly coordinate them in our minds in terms of understanding.  However, consistently righteous decision making and exercising of good judgment requires something more.  It requires wisdom.

   "Christ... is made unto us wisdom" (I Corinthians 1:30).

   We do well to fill our hearts with the knowledge that applies to our relationship with God and His will for our lives.  "Receive my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold" (Proverbs 8:10).  We should also seek to rightly put truths together in order to have understanding, or as the prophet taught, "Precept must be upon precept" (Isaiah 28:10).  "With all thy getting, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7).  We nevertheless require the personal leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ if we are to successfully navigate the course of our lives for the glory of God.  This constitutes the Christian life in terms of conscious fellowship with our Lord, as opposed to merely filling our minds with facts, and seeking to apply principles as best we can.  Certainly we fill our minds, and we seek to apply principles.  But we do so in the confidence that the indwelling Spirit of God works in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).  He applies the wisdom of Christ in our decision making as we humbly and prayerfully relate to our Heavenly Father in the awareness of His promised presence, and our need for a guiding Shepherd who dwells nearer than our next breath.  The Lord directed Jacob accordingly, and we be confident of the same wisdom, presence, and enabling: "Return unto the land of thy fathers and thy kindred, and I will be with thee" (Genesis 31:3).

   We might consider this in terms of heart and mind.  The latter is vitally important and must never be minimized or discounted.  "Think on these things" commanded the Apostle Paul of various aspects of life in Christ (Philippians 4:8).  However, "out of it (the heart) are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23).  This involves something more than thought and understanding.  This involves the personalized wisdom of Christ as He leads, and our looking to Him with confidence of His guidance.  Our Heavenly Father does not program machines as He directs His trusting children.  He rather walks with and within us in a Person to person, Heart to heart relationship of love.  He will not be satisfied with anything less, and neither should we.  "Wisdom is the principle thing" declared Solomon, because wisdom is Christ revealed in our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit as we live our lives in personal fellowship with our Heavenly Father, and as He directs our decision making for His glory (Proverbs 4:7).  

"With Him is wisdom and strength; He hath counsel and understanding."

(Job 12:13)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

(Psalm 90:12)