Wisdom #13

Make Wisdom Relative

Wisdom has several great benefits to it, as we've discussed in previous Activations.  However, we've also seen that there are certain actions we can take to advance Wisdom in our lives.  Today we look at a way to bring Wisdom closer to our lives than ever before:

Wisdom is Your Sister?

That's what Proverbs 7:4 commands us to do if we want to be protected from the attacks of the enemy. Of course, it doesn't mean we literally become brother or sister to God's wisdom. What it does mean, though, is very important and deeply connects us to God.

To be a sister or kinsman here means to be closely connected to, as though you were related. To be related to someone in the time of Solomon and before meant you were bound to them, regardless of their actions and attitudes. The blood bond between Jonathan and his father Saul led him to stand by him even as he pursued Jonathan's best friend David. Jonathan stayed true to his blood bond all the way to his death. To be bound to someone as a relative meant you were committed to them, even when you didn't understand their thoughts or actions. We might not understand God and His word at all times, but we can know that by embracing Him and His wisdom, we can be assured that He will be more adamantly by our side than any blood relative from any era. Because he brought us into His family with His blood on Calvary. Therefore, we have access to His wisdom and we should treat it with the respect and connection that relationship deserves.

Steps to Getting Related To Wisdom

We open the door to wisdom by coming into relationship with Jesus Christ. However, there are steps we can take to advance in wisdom once that bond has been set. We find them a couple of scriptures before (Proverbs 7:2-3):

Keep God's Commandments
God gives us commandments, both in His word and in our daily walk with him. It is up to us to observe and protect them in our hearts and lives. We do this simply by following what God says for us to do. So if God's commandment is to Go Ye therefore and we do it, we will grow in wisdom and understanding of God's ways by adhering to it.

Focus our perspective on God's doctrine
We talked about this in a previous Activation, but it is important to remember that our focus has to be set on the things of God and not this world. Here specifically, we see that our focus is directed towards the instruction God has to give us. Basically, when God is trying to teach us something, whether through a trial, a revelation or even consistently directing us towards a certain scripture, we need to focus in and see what He is providing us. If we do, we'll advance further in knowing God and what He has for us to do in this life.

Bound to Your Actions
Its a lot easier for us to talk about things than it is to actually go do them. We can read devotions, sit through sermons and fellowship around tables, but when it comes to putting action to our words, how do we hold up? However, just going out and doing a bunch of stuff isn't necessarily wise, either. We must have wisdom bound to every one of our actions. If we have the wisdom of God in our actions as much as our words, we will see great things happen in our community. Wisdom-directed actions don't just get us involved in our community, but they allow us to be effectively working for the Kingdom of God as we help others. It's offering prayer to the person you help buy groceries for. It's knowing when to invite that person you keep bumping into to church. It's speaking the Word of God into people's lives when you know it is time for them to receive it. When we start having wisdom tied to and directing our actions, we'll start seeing results that will amaze and inspire us.

Written on Your Heart
Having wisdom-directed actions and wisdom-focussed mindsets are two great things. Being obedient to God's commandments is a powerful foundation, as well. However, without a heart for the things of God, our actions will fade, our mindset will become hazy and our obedience will fall to rebellion. We have to find a passion for God's wisdom. It must not just be tied to our hearts but written on them, engraved like God did on the ten commandments. This happens when we decide to take Christianity beyond ritual and make it relational. It comes when we get excited to seek God rather than anxious to talk with Him. Passion manifests when we do things not just out of obligation or respect, but out of love and compassion for God. This works to write God's wisdom on our hearts permanently, and, if we will let God inscribe His wisdom onto our innermost being, we will have a constant reminder of who God is and what he wants us to do.

Overcome The Enemy
We need this bond with God for more than just the relationship it brings with God and the effect we can have on people.  This bond helps us overcome the enemy.  The rest of Proverbs 7 details how various people without wisdom are easily swayed by the world and its ways.  Without wisdom, we fall pray to the attacks of the Devil and his minions.  However, with wisdom closely connected to us, we become protected against the advances of the enemy.  He may attack and tempt us, but with wisdom we can overcome his advances and thrive in Christ.

Activation
Commit to connecting yourself closer to God's wisdom
Start by searching out how you can obey the Word of God better
Next, listen for the leading of God and His instructions for you in prayer
Then, start putting wise actions behind what God's spoken to you
See how doing these things affects your passion for God
Notice how much closer you get to God than you were before.