Wise Living

12-31-2010

Wise Living by Boyd Bailey


“Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9

Wise living keeps the realization and understanding of God in the vortex of your thinking because His awareness is centerpiece. What would Jesus do becomes a way of life. His desires, His motivations, His thoughts and His character become paramount in your thinking. This leads to wise living because it is based on Christ-like living.

God’s ways are the path to wisdom. The wisdom of God is unfathomable but He is willing to share it with us. In fact, His preference is to shower His children with raindrops of wisdom. He delights in imparting His game plan for living. However, it takes our daily pursuit for the wisdom of God to penetrate our thinking.
Wise living defaults to a Biblical worldview of thinking. The ways of God are revealed as you understand and apply the Bible. The Bible teaches that you serve and worship a personal God. There are no details of your life of which He is not aware. He knows how many hairs are on your head (maybe not as many as when you were younger!)

This understanding of His personal concern for you invites you to have security and confidence in Him. This is wise living based on the character of God. There are right ways and wrong ways to live life. All of the ways of the Lord are right. Furthermore, His desire is for His followers to treat others as He treats them. This is a high standard, but this is the road of wisdom.

This level of love and respect for others is wise living. What goes around comes around. When we are too busy for people, we are too busy. Do not let your success shelter you from people, as they are the objects of God’s affection. Jesus gave His life on the cross for each and every person. Your being accessible to people is wise living.

Wise living includes the ability to discern right from wrong and good from best. Why settle for God’s crumbs when you can feast at His banquet table of wisdom? As a wife, your discernment is a gift to your husband for protection against unwise decision-making. He may not appreciate this yet, but he will, if he is wise.

Therefore, present your insights with grace and humility. By faith extract your overly aggressive emotion and replace it with a prayerful appeal. Hold your suggestions with an open hand and trust God to work on your husband in his timing. He is accountable to God. Sweet relief! You do not have to change him, but God will.

What God changes stays changed. What we change has a tendency to revert back to its old way of doing things. Indeed, you see what needs to be done, but be patient. Plant seeds, pray and watch the Holy Spirit turn the heart of your husband in the right direction. It is not about you convincing him; rather, it is all about the Spirit of God convicting him.

This leads to wise living for all involved. Above all, seek out wisdom. Ask God first and listen to others second. Be humble and teachable—understanding¬¬ and discernment will follow. This is wise living!

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13).

Am I wise to listen to the Lord and my spouse with an open and understanding heart?

Related Readings: Proverbs 11:30; 13:14; 13:20; 15:31