Controversy, Understanding, Wisdom - Who Knows?

There are so many controversial topics that touch my heart and mind these days. Today I prayed: Lord Jesus, speak to your people - myself included - in this present time about righteousness and discernment.

In Luke 12:54-57, Jesus said to a crowd of people:

"When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It is going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?"

It is so true.... We embrace weather predictions based on meteorology. When I am planning an outdoor activity, I pay close attention to the weather for days ahead of time, and I generally know what is going on with the weather from day to day. I often need to know the weather in order to dress appropriately, to pack my bags, to plan for a game, or to take the dog out before a downpour.

Yet, how many people pay close attention to our current cultural state for the purpose of understanding its impact upon our daily lives? Throughout history, there have been prophets making predictions - some biblical and some not. Who judges the accuracy of prophetic predictions for you? No one can say such knowledge and understanding isn't necessary for day-to-day living. We engage the culture everyday in making decisions! To take a neutral stance towards popular culture's affect on us is actually choosing a distinct position. Such a decision is to be ignorant, helpless, or overwhelmed - which is not Biblical.

Today I prayed: Lord, help me to glorify you in righteousness; help me to represent you well - drawing your children into deeper relationship with you. Colossians 3:16-17 says:

"Let the words of Christ, in all of their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father."

Without you, Lord, I am legalistic. Give me discernment, make me righteous, and allow me to shine for you!

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:3-7).

For me, these ideas point to a distinct difference between human wisdom and Godly wisdom. Human wisdom is enticing; it is logical; it is dead wrong. Human wisdom is approved of in this culture; in fact, it is worshiped. Human wisdom leads people to give up thinking for themselves, although it makes them feel as if they are thinking deeply - far more deeply than the "average" human. When people embrace and worship the wisdom of humans, the world as God intended changes before their eyes. It appears good for this present time. Human wisdom begets human wisdom.... Godly wisdom fades in importance when human wisdom is prioritized. Godly wisdom become the wisdom to popularly question....

"Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to become a fool so that you can become wise by God's standards. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God" (I Corinthians 3:18-19a).

In closing, Paul's words in Philippians are powerful:

"Pattern your lives after mine and notice who else lives up to my example.... There are many who walk along the Christian road who are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal loss, for their god is their appetite: they are proud of what they should be ashamed of; and all they think about is this life here on earth. But our homeland in is heaven" (Philippians 3:17-20a, TLB).