I'm reading in the book of Proverbs at the moment, and I just read one that reminded me of something God was speaking to me last week. It reads,"Cynics look high and low for wisdom - and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!" (Proverbs 14:6, The Message).I think that sometimes I may slide into cynicism which brings a hardness of heart; it's like a pride of intellect that can stop me from seeing the good in others and their ideas.
Searching for wisdom begins with humility, gentleness, awe, and most importantly, the fear of God. This deep respect for God's greatness prevents the human heart from exalting itself, and reminds us of how small we are, and how limited we are in our understanding.
God questioned Job's wisdom, asking, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?" As wise as I ever think that I am, or feel I have become, my wisdom is nothing compared to the all-knowing, all-powerful God who chooses to reveal aspects of his nature to many people in many ways. The wisdom of God is hidden throughout his creation and must be sought out. The moment I feel like I have arrived, I expose my own foolishness and futility.
God wants us to become wise, but Godly wisdom is to remain teachable, to anticipate our daily bread and continuing revelation from the Holy Spirit. I believe that critical thinking is very important, but cynicism masquerading as critical thinking robs us from seeing beyond problems. It eclipses beauty, fragility, solution-oriented thinking, and faith in the goodness of God's unfolding plan.
Ben
2 comments:
This is really good, Ben. Humility and the fear of the Lord really are keys to true wisdom. Thanks !
Very well said... thank you.
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