September 13, 2011
The Worthlessness of Worldly Wisdom
Today’s Thought:
“The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates
Today’s Quote:
“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” – Mahatma Gamdhi
Today’s Question
When contemplating wisdom, have you considered: “One’s first step in wisdom is to question everything and one’s last is to come to terms with everything?” – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Today’s Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 & Psalms 111:10
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Today’s Spiritual Thought:
“Wisdom is to the soul, what health is to the body.” - La Rochefoucauld
What constitutes wisdom? Often, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what is considered or valued as wisdom may be subject to the potential recipient of the supposed tidbits of potential wisdom. “The obscure man’s reflections may be as wise as the rich cheese-maker’s, on everything but cheese.” – Henry S. Haskins
It is highly possible that what one considers wisdom from their perspective is but foolishness or folderol in the eyes of another.
That is why, in terms of spiritual matters; earthly wisdom and the wisdom of men is of little or no value in God’s matrix of wisdom.
“Raphael paints wisdom, Handel sings it, Phidias carves it, Shakespeare writes it, Wren builds it, Columbus sails it, Luther preaches it, Washington arms it, Watt mechanized it.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
But none of these men, as great at what they do, as they may be or as adept at understanding the intricate concepts of their specialties as they may be capable of; posses the ability to save one soul or make the difference in an individuals eternity.
“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” – The Bible (Matthew 6:27)
Only God can do that.
True wisdom is to understand, ‘I must decrease and He must increase.’
Real wisdom knows: ‘I am nothing without Him but by Him and in Him, I can do all things.’
Ultimate wisdom comes when we recognize we are but sinners who need saving and that salvation can only come from God.
That is spiritual wisdom and by comparison that makes worldly wisdom rather worthless.
Today’s Prayer:
Father, understanding and learning are important and there is much that might be considered wisdom from this world I may need to know to live out my daily life, but when it is compared to the wisdom of your world, it is worth little if I am not wise in your ways, in your word and in the things of your kingdom. Help me be wise in your eyes and may my wisdom begin with you as its foundation.
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