Keeping Wisdom in View Every Day

There is so much wisdom in the Bible for us as believers.

A word of wisdom in the Bible can help us through every situation, challenge, need and hope.

I love Proverbs. I try to read one every day.

There is always something in each chapter that I can use or relate to throughout the day.

In my Proverbs reading, I came across a great phrase.

A phrase that I want to keep in my mind as I live this life.

A phrase to never forget. A phrase that will keep me in check in every situation I might face each day.

The phrase that I’m talking about is from Proverbs 17:24.

“A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but the fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”

Wisdom in the Bible is something we should keep in view.

Can you imagine the difference this phrase could make in your daily life if you really lived by it? If you remembered to keep wisdom in view?

I think of some of the things I’ve done, even in the last week. I’d like to say that I am discerning, that I use wisdom.

But, then I see my mistakes.

The times that my eyes have wandered to the troubles of this world or the failures of others instead of keeping wisdom in view. I repeated something that I shouldn’t have or I said something I shouldn’t have or I responded badly to my girls or frustrated my husband or I wasn’t patient with someone who needed words of grace.

You might say, “Well, we all have days where we make mistakes. We all mess up. We can’t be perfect all the time.”

And, I would agree.

But, how many of these simple situations could be avoided on a day-to-day basis if we kept wisdom in view?

What if we learned from the wisdom in the Bible and applied it to our day?

Listen to some of these Proverbs.

“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint…”

“The tongue has the power of life and death…”

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience…”

“A prudent wife is from the Lord…”

“He who covers an offense promotes love…”

“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth…”

“The highway of the upright avoids evil…”

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do…”

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful…”

Oh, I could go on and on! Can you imagine keeping these things in VIEW EVERY DAY!?

That your mornings in the Word would have that great of an impact on your daily life?

That your friends and family would KNOW that you’ve been with Jesus recently?

Two different times in the book of Proverbs it tells us that the human way leads to death but God’s way leads to eternal life. (14:12, 16:25) This reminds us that the way that seems right to us may not be what God wants from us.

Our human reasoning is a poor basis for determining what is right and what is wrong, good or bad, true or false, worthy or unworthy. We MUST keep God’s Word in our hearts and minds. That is where Godly discernment and wisdom is found.

Proverbs 21:2 says it this way, “All a man’s ways seem right to him but the Lord weighs the heart.”

Look at the definition of “seems”

• to appear to one’s own senses, mind, observation, judgment, to appear to be true, probable, or evident, to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be

Wow. Do you want that definition to be the basis for your words and actions? I don’t. I want to do something because I KNOW it’s right by God’s Word.

Look at the definition of “know”

• to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of fact or truth, the fact or state of knowing; knowledge

And, to have that knowledge, we must be in the word everyday. We must keep God’s wisdom in view.

We must rely on the wisdom in the Bible.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 says, “So, we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

I love this song. Somewhere in the Middle by Casting Crowns

I read this story behind the song and was reminded that we all are, in some ways, caught in the middle. Our lives are not what they could be in Christ. We aren’t keeping wisdom in view.

I don’t want to live doing what seems right.

I want to know what’s right.

I don’t want to be in the middle. I want to surrender it all and give it all.

I’m so thankful that He loves me even in those times when I’m caught in the middle and I know He loves me so much that He doesn’t want me to live there. He wants to take control of the smallest situations of life and help me keep wisdom in view.

He doesn’t just want to be the God I want Him to be or think He is but He wants to BE the God he IS in my life.

Do you see the difference?

So, my challenge today, and your challenge as well… don’t live in the middle… keep wisdom in view!