How to Live with Wisdom
The world is full of ways to grow in knowledge. We can learn from schools, books, documentaries, or other means. But more important than gaining knowledge is growing in wisdom.
Scripture also says that true wisdom begins with God. While there are many people on earth who are smart, real wisdom—in God's eyes—begins with our relationship with Him. God is perfect in truth and knowledge, so all wisdom must begin with Him.
Those who live with true wisdom will be a bright light for God in a dark world. How we act and speak matters. Though we cannot be perfect on this side of heaven, we are representatives for God to the rest of the world—so it's important that we act wisely and strive to honor Him.
One aspect of living wisely is pursuing righteousness. Righteousness is living in accordance with God’s law and God's ways. When we live according to God’s Word, we are living in accordance with His design for our lives.
Jesus says that people will know that we are His disciples by the way we love others (John 13:35). That means that loving others is living according to God’s Word. And by loving God and loving others, we will point others to Jesus.
This is why Jesus compares us to a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, and a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). Daniel 12:3 explains that as we live wisely and righteously, we will shine bright like stars in the darkness.
The way we live, think, and act matters. Those are the primary ways that other people will see the love God has for them.
So consider your own life. Think of ways you can live in accordance with God’s Word. Write down one or two ways that you can shine the light of Jesus today by loving others in tangible ways.
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something.
Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building a career, or amassing possessions. While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation were so great that nothing on this earth could compare to doing His work.
Paul said that nothing in his life mattered as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission of ...