January 8

Proverbs 2:6-15

For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.  Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in the ways.

When I looked up the definition of wisdom, the word is categorized as a noun, so it's tangible, a person, place or thing. The Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines wisdom as "knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it." So wisdom is something you can possess, and make use of, but it's nothing you can buy as it only comes from God as our reading explains. No wonder Solomon asked for it, and Jesus told us to seek it. It's so easy to let our agenda and our pride distract us. What takes a little more work is to only get distracted by Jesus. Perhaps the first step is realizing that by design, we are dependent upon God, whether times are good or bad. As we begin a new year and a new decade, I pray we seek His Kingdom first, then allow His knowledge and understanding to flow through us. I pray we allow wisdom to enter our hearts for only then will discretion protect us.

Randi