We just have one more week in our Aging Gracefully Challenge and for the remainder of the challenge, we will be looking at Wisdom.
Wisdom is one area where older people have an advantage over younger people. The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. Proverbs 20:29.
Why is Wisdom so Important:
Wisdom takes the correct attitude toward God, fears Him and regards Him as supreme. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
Maybe you, like me, have heard people who deemphasized the “fear” of God and replaced it with “love” for God. I think we need both. We used to have dogs that were Alaskan Malamutes. They were very strong and very stubborn. I remember the breeder telling us that this type of dog needs to be a little bit afraid of you, or they won’t respect and obey you. I think we are like that. We need to be a little bit afraid of God, or we won’t respect and obey God.
Wisdom helps us develop practical skills for living well in God’s world. “Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path.” Proverbs 2:9
Wisdom is an attribute of the Holy Spirit that helps us know God. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17
Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit. – “To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom.” 1 Corinthians 12:8
Wisdom gives us the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil and to choose to obey God. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. 1 Kings 3:9 . This helps us avoid the mistakes made in the Garden of Eden, where they were not able to discern between truth and falsehood, and good and evil. And so they chose evil.
Day 24 Challenge – Pray and ask God for wisdom to fear Him. And ask for the wisdom to distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil and to always choose to obey God.