Proverbs 7 begins with an admonition to become intimate with the teaching of wisdom.
My child, keep my words
and store up my commandments with you;
Keep my commandments and live;
keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend. (Proverbs 7.1-4)
Today’s blog article will feature various ways Christian traditions have approached integrating wisdom into their lives.
Catholic Spirituality
Many of the highly respected lovers of God are saints in the Catholic Church.
Their practices are an excellent guide for people interested in following the instruction of Proverbs to seek, acquire, and become intimate with wisdom.
(1) Prayerful Contemplation: One of the most profound ways to embrace God’s wisdom is through prayerful contemplation.
Every day, I practice setting aside a specific place and time to seek God’s will for my life. I earnestly ask God to reveal His plan to me. Then, I make an effort to simply listen to His guidance.
(2) Lectio Divina: I include Bible reading with my prayer and meditation in what the Catholic Church terms “Lectio Divina,” Latin for “divine reading.”
I encourage you to include Bible reading, prayer, and meditation in your time with God. Doing so will help you grow profoundly in your faith and enable you to integrate the wisdom found in God’s Word into your daily life.
(3) Spiritual Guidance: Spiritual mentors, counselors, or directors provide invaluable insights and guidance.
I can identify three or four godly men and women who have had a significant impact on my spiritual life. I owe them a deep debt of gratitude.
If you can find someone who will assist you in integrating God’s wisdom into your life, I wholeheartedly encourage you to seek their guidance.
(4) Service and Active Love: If you do not express your spiritual life in service to others and active love, it will stagnate and become dull.
By engaging in acts of service and active love, you will discover that your wisdom expands and includes compassion, empathy, and selflessness.
Protestant Spirituality
Protestants and Catholics who love God and embrace His wisdom may employ different terminology to describe the same actions.
(1) Bible Study: A person who owns a Bible but does not read it gains no advantage over someone who lacks a Bible or cannot read.
Reading the Bible is essential for us to integrate God’s wisdom into our lives.
My daily practice of reading and meditating on the Bible opens the door for God to correct my thinking. It’s astonishing how frequently my thoughts lean in the wrong direction, and God gently guides me toward the right path.
(2) Prayerful Connection: All Christian traditions place a strong emphasis on prayer.
It serves as our lifeline to God, enabling us to convey our thoughts and concerns while also providing a means to listen to His voice and discern His will.
(3) Fellowship and Worship: Worship services, small groups, and fellowship with other Christians provide opportunities to deepen my understanding of God’s wisdom through shared experiences and insights.
(4) Personal Reflection: I appreciate the idea of conducting a personal inventory, as Alcoholics Anonymous teaches.
Engaging in a regular spiritual inventory, where we assess our lives, enables us to contemplate areas where we need to grow and transform.
This practice positions us in a place of humility, where we can learn from God and receive His wisdom.
Faith without Works
James is right: “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17).
The effectiveness of these practices depends on the willingness of people to implement them.
Let’s examine the list of ways to integrate God’s wisdom into our lives and allow it to influence our approach to God.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 