Our last post concluded by asking the question “…in our quest to quench our thirst [for counsel], to whom or where do we turn?”
The reality of our nature as social beings is such that our thought and decision-making processes are influenced by external factors. No one knows all there is to know about everything, and so out of necessity, we depend on the wisdom of others. And if there are no neutral zones, which there aren’t, where do we as Christians glean wisdom from?
Knowing Him who called us
Peter the Apostle assures us that “God’s divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” 2 Peter 1:3.
We have in earlier posts established that The Bible is a book like no other, being the means by which God chose to disclose Himself through a record of His acts in the past, and promises for the future. As such, we know God through His Word, and it is through that knowledge that we are ‘given everything that goes into a life of pleasing God’ (MSG).
Affirming the Bible as the source of wisdom does not necessarily mean that merely quoting Bible verses is always the most appropriate response to a troubled friend/child/spouse seeking counsel. Sometimes what is required of us is wisdom offered in ‘processed’ form, where we are able to bring the truth of scripture home in a less wooden way. Goes without saying then that if we’re not spending time in The Word, we’re less likely to give godly counsel; and on the other hand less able to tell if what we’re receiving is indeed wise.
A contradiction in terms?
A friend once expressed his fear of not wanting to be ‘so heavenly conscious that he is of no earthly good’. Perhaps you have heard that expression before too; but how likely is the reality of that? Quite unlikely I think, because it is really our heaven-mindedness that fuels meaningful earthly usefulness.
All that to say I am very aware of the tacit allegation of ‘over-spiritualizing’ matters, when one could easily go with the flow, “why bring God into this?” Well, my intention is not to get all preachy, or suggest that the subject of faith is all there is to life… or is it? It would seem that Jesus placed much premium on the soul, over even gaining the whole world; we can (should) do no less.
Our souls are better served by wisdom rooted in scripture, how well are you getting that?
Thanks for reading!
Sike Osinuga.
Every book has a purpose, so in order to get the most out of it, it’s important to ask the right questions, such as who wrote it?, to whom was it written?, what’s the author’s purpose? These same questions and more are to be asked of The Bible, if we’re to make sense of it.