2010 - My journey towards wisdom....

I want to be wise.  Doesn't everyone?  Maybe not.....

That truth hit me like a brick this morning as I started my reading in Proverbs.  My church Crosspoint Community Church has started the 31 Day Challenge for the month of January.  I've committed to reading one chapter of Proverbs each day this month along with many other members of my church.  It'll be fun reading it together and seeing how this scripture speaks to each of us in different ways.  You can read what Pastor Pete has to say about each chapter on his blog.  One thing he said that struck a chord with me today was this:


"I remember early on in my Christian walk I felt God’s Word existed to somewhat “imprison” me. I thought it primarily was about all the things I wouldn’t be allowed to do.
I’m learning more and more that God’s Word and these Proverbs actually exist to set me free. God wants to give us His wisdom and it will be a “garland to grace your neck.” It’s a gift.
The following chapters of the book of Proverbs paint a picture, a vision, of what life could be like in 2010 if we were to only trust Him. If we were to listen to His voice, His instructions. If only we’ll pursue His wisdom."


Which goes back to my original thought... Don't we ALL want to pursue wisdom??  Wouldn't we all like to think that we make wise choices??  Choices that will improve our lives and the lives of other's around us?  Then I re-read these verses:


20 - 22- "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
          'How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?  How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?'


29 - 32 "Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.  For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them"


OUCH!  Kinda sounds like Wisdom is screaming for our attention but not all of us want to listen.  We turn away from knowledge and ignore wisdom's advice.   If I'm completely honest, I know I have MANY times in my life.   I SAY I want wisdom, but when it comes down to having to make a choice that might be WISE but not in line with MY PLANS, I turn away. 


The bottom line is that asking for God to grant me true wisdom is a bit scary.  Along with wisdom comes knowledge.  Along with knowledge comes the awareness of right and wrong, which makes it harder to continue to make the wrong choices and feel okay about it.  You know that old saying "Ignorance is bliss"..... well, here I am praying for wisdom and now it feels like I'm heaping alot of new responsibility on my head.  No more saying "Oh geez.. sorry I did that!  I didn't KNOW any better!"   Now I'll be left with saying "Sorry I did that.  I knew better, but I did it anyway because I'm selfish, or weak, or jealous, or angry or......".  You get the picture.  So when I said:


I want to be wise.  Doesn't everyone?  Maybe not.....  I realized that apparently everyone does NOT want to be wise, because they like having the excuse of ignorance.  "I didn't know any better" is a good way for someone to overlook your bad behavior.  Believe me, I've used that many, many times.... and I'm not proud of it.  But I don't want to use it anymore. 
Even with all the responsibility that wisdom brings with it, I'm still gonna pray for it.  I'm still gonna prod along on my journey towards it.  Because I DO believe that life will be better for it.  I'm gonna hold fast to the last verse of Proverbs Chapter 1. :


33- 'but whoever listens to me will live in safey and be at ease, without fear of harm."


Ok Wisdom.... let's do this!!  Here we go.....    (deep breath)   Bring it on!!


....And so my journey towards wisdom begins.


Do you want to be wiser in 2010??