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WISDOM IS A VISUAL THING
by David Boncler 2/11/12

Ecclesiastes 8:1 "Who is like a wise man?  Who knows the explanation of things?  Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance."

Let’s make sure we know two definitions here.

Knowledge: “acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation. Familiarity of a subject, gained by sight, experience, or report.  Awareness”. 

These are the things you can learn from a dictionary about what knowledge is.

Wisdom: “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action”

Knowledge refers to knowing things.  Wisdom refers to actually living out what you know. 

For the sake of this conversation, let’s simply look at faith.

Now, who really knows the thoughts of God?  No one.  At the same time, God has given us His Word to gain a better understanding of Who He is.  Some of our knowledge comes from the things which took place before Jesus was sent to be the ultimate sacrifice.

Many scrutinize, and misread the things from the old testament all the time.  Context, time period, so on and so on.  People pick and choose from it for the sake of whether or not God is loving, is not loving, and whether or not people should or should not do certain things. 

Granted, when it comes to whether or not God is or is not loving...they only pick certain pieces, ignoring where God gave chance after chance, and grace after grace.

And as for whether or not people should or should not do certain things, it is always interesting to hear justification on why one thing is currently relevant, yet another from the exact same area is not.

God also gave us His Word from when Jesus came, and what we are to do on this side of the resurrection.  Yet again, people pick and choose.

It seems as though many want knowledge in regards to this or that with God. 

BUT wisdom...this is a whole different conversation.

The fact is -- we ARE on this side of the resurrection.  Our Savior paid a price once and for all.  Whether or not someone receives that is up to them.

Wisdom is about living out what we know.  So what do we know? 

Among many other things, just look at the basics.

John 3:16 “For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son that whomsoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:1-3 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature.”

Hebrews 10:24 “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

And so on and so on!  We have new life!  We are free now in Christ!  We know to encourage one another to love and good deeds!!  Do we live as though we are new?  Or do we live like we were before salvation?  Do we live as though we are free, or do we live as though we are under a list of do’s and don’ts?

Do we seek to encourage ALL “one another’s” to love and good deeds, or do we select where this goes to?

People can play games but our writer of wisdom in Ecclesiastes calls it out. 

“Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance.”

You can’t fake a soft appearance.  Maybe for a moment, but not for the long haul.  I don’t understand how people who are “strong in their faith”, can walk around so angry in their face.  Worship goes on, and they glare.  They speak of negative, and draw attention to what “can’t be”, even though we KNOW “with God all things are possible (Matt.19:26)”.  But it shows.  Their face reflects the hardness.  Let your face be brightened!!  Live in the truth, hope, life, joy, peace, love, etc be alive in you!  Who cares what you know?  Live in it if you believe it.  It naturally will reflect from you!  It’s time our face matches that of the One Who created it!!

Today is the day for wisdom to be reflected. 

Whether basic or extensive knowledge...either way true brightness should appear on the face of believers!

WHEN YOU CARRY YOUR LOAD, YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO ADD TO SOMEONE ELSE'S LOAD
by David Boncler 2/3/12

Galatians 6:4-5 "Each one should test his own actions.  Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load."

All over the word of God, we hear how people should focus on where THEY are. 

Whether this be in regards to looking at the log in their eye before being concerned with the speck in someone else’s eye; or even to the level of Jesus telling Peter to not be concerned with what the plan for John is (John 21:20-24).

Paul tells us a few things here.

1st--”Each one should test his own actions.”

Look how this is stated.  “Test his own actions”, not “do not focus on the actions of others”.

The difference here is focusing on what TO DO, as opposed to what you should NOT DO.

Test your actions.  Why do you do what you do?  Why do you say the things to others that you do?

Why do you NOT do what you don’t do?  Test your actions. 

Do they match up with the life you say you desire to live? 

If you say you want to live a life as a true reflection of Jesus, do all of your actions bring about such a reflection?

Don’t worry about making excuses here.  Test your actions, not your reactions. 

Many times we make excuses for why we do not have certain actions. 

Someone made us do this or that.  Something else got in my way.

When you test your actions, you can adjust your actions which fall short.  You can go to bed at night knowing you either had the actions reflecting who you say you want to be, or you know where you didn’t and can make the adjustment in the morning.

All this sets up for the second part found here in this passage.

“Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.”

One thing I have found in life (so far)--when you are focused on being who you need to be, you become less concerned with how much you measure or do not measure up to someone else.  People who continually compare and contrast their life with others never find true peace.

Nothing can satisfy.  They may compare themselves to others and find themselves as better...but then they lose sight of what they could be, because they are measuring to man’s standard.  

Not just that, how much of a true comparison can you gain when you look at others?

Do you know where the others are from, where they are headed, what they are meant to do or not do, what they do behind closed doors, or even what they do in wide open spaces that you just don’t happen to witness?

You can’t truly compare.  So if you can’t, why bother testing their actions?  Test your own. 

Testing theirs is faulty testing, and will only breed conflict, division, and wasted time from you being who you are meant to be.

Then Paul closes, “for each one should carry his own load.”

Carry YOUR load.  Carry the cross meant for you.  Walk in the pathway lit for you.  Sure, you can help others along the way, when they need/want it.  But focus on the load you are meant to carry.  All too often, people focus on other people’s loads.  Focusing on their loads, usually ADDS to their loads.  No win-win there.

The true win is when we all test our own actions, adjust when needed, quit comparing, and carry our load.  Focusing on doing the right thing, being who we are meant to be. 

This brings life because this brings us in line with the One Who IS our life.  Anything less is falling short.

Who wants to fall short?  Don’t we all want to rise into the place meant for us? 

Sweet...thought so.  Let’s rise!

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