Shade Tree Wisdom 2/27/10

Another week of cold, and the Olympics are nearly over, and the northeast received another several feet of snow. And a quake in Chili, and life goes on. And we learn something from life every day.

I read of a father and his seven year old son who agreed to spend at least 15 minutes every day walking and looking to see what they would find. The first day they picked up two recyclable cans. Not much. But each day they went out and their eyes started to see more, so by the end of the year their accumulations of coins, golf balls, cans and bottles and other stuff, netted them a little over one thousand dollars. Besides, they enjoyed each others company and benefited from the daily dose of fresh air and exercise. What did this? The daily doing of a small task, indeed, a very small task.

Many people think of the Bible as mostly to do with getting people to heaven, and getting right with God, as saving their souls. It does that, and very well too. But it also has a good deal to do with life on earth. The Psalmist said it like this, “Thy WORD have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” The same Psalm (119), teaches that “Thy Word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path”, and further says, “I am a stranger in the earth, Oh, how I need a map”.

The Bible never treats earth as an afterthought. Jesus prayed, "On earth, as it is in heaven”. The term for this is Wisdom. Wisdom is the art of living with skill in whatever situation we find ourselves. It is not getting information. Wisdom is much more, it is applying what we know to the way we live, speak, act each day, treat parents, kin, and neighbors. Wisdom directs our life as God’s children.

The Bible Book that sets this out for us best is the Book of Proverbs. The first nine chapters is a father to son speech, then the Book distiles wisdom into bits and pieces that are easily remembered, and done. Proverbs 2,9 when we read and study, “Then you will understand righteousness and justice, and every good path (9), “When you apply your ear to wisdom, and your heart to understanding”. V.4.

Growth won’t come at once. It took a year for that father and son to accumulate stuff worth one thousand dollars. But gradually, bit by bit, we will be changed through our reading God’s Word daily. Bit by bit He changes us, and the Spirit strengthens faith and leads to firmer stand in every trial and temptation.

Search and you will surely find,
Treasures to enrich the mind.

GPD 2/27/10