Living Wise Everyday

We spend so much time and energy trying to make the Christian life appealing to the outside world. And when books like unChristian come out we get smacked in the face by reality that people don’t look favorably upon us as Christians. In fact, most of the time doors get closed before they really even open when someone finds out we’re Christian. This is a great paradox and is very distressing to me. Here we are, followers of Christ, carriers of the cure, messengers of hope and the dying world around us literally runs from us. As I read about Jesus the exact opposite happened to Him. The lost and dying flocked to Him, they tore through ceilings and climbed trees. They poured treasures of oil on His feet and wiped them clean with their tear soaked hair. They left their world behind and followed Him. Yet today, we have to build ball fields or fancy stages to attract people. Why is that? As simple as the answer is, I think it is very true, our lives don’t look like our beliefs. The way we live everyday, simply doesn’t resemble the faith we claim to have.

In reading for this week in Matthew 25:1-13, these thoughts were in my head. Seems kinda strange to get those thoughts from the parable of the 10 virgins awaiting the wedding ceremony huh? Well, the first section is about being wise. It is foolish to take a lamp and not extra oil. That is not rocket science, yet it happens everyday. We are faced with countless situations everyday that require us to act wisely. Do you work as hard as you can while you are at work? Do you treat others with love? When temptation knocks, how do you respond? Do you really need that extra plate of food? Have you checked on your neighbor lately? Do you even know their name? And the list could go on forever. Everyday we face decisions that require action from us and far too often we are not showing a lost and dying world how to live with godly wisdom. So they hear our words and then they look at our lives and see no difference between us and them.

Think about your everyday life today. How prepared are you to face each new day? If your week was laid open for all to examine, would anyone think you live wisely? Are your decisions marked by godly wisdom? Are you pursuing Christ? Honestly, ask yourself that question today? It all starts there. The only wisdom worth knowing comes from one source, God, and it comes through the pursuit of Christ. We must move to a place where the pursuit of our life is Him not our own passions. That seems like it would be a wise thing to do huh? Why is it so difficult then?

A few weeks back I was challenged to fast. That was not something I had ever done before. It always seemed like an OT thing that Christ should have abolished when He came. I mean He gives us all this great food, no need to go without right? Well, for two days I went without food and coffee, which was tough enough by itself, and only drank water. Honestly, the hunger was not a problem but my mind was constantly consumed by eating. The simple act of eating was always on my mind, it was odd to me. After 48 hours I was happy to eat again but one thought kept buzzing around in my mind like an annoying gnat, “If you went without Me(Christ) for two days would it matter as much as the food did?” This thought rocked me. If I went two days without reading the Bible or spending time with Christ would it bother me? Would it consume my mind? The honest answer, no. I know that because I have done that a million times in my life. There have been times when my I pick up my Bible to go to church and it sits where I sat it down last week. There is a dust square remaining on the table where my Bible sat all week. Needless to say, I did not like the things revealed to me during my fast. Maybe that is why people stopped doing it, God speaks too loudly through it and He says things we don’t want to hear. I know I didn’t. All these thoughts hit home again this week as I read about living foolishly or wisely. Certainly, those periods of my life where I fasted from Christ were not maked by wise living. It is quite the opposite, a ridiculous thing to do.

The groom is coming, make sure you are not walking out of the house without some extra oil. Examine your life this week and look for wisdom. I pray you will find it marking your life, but if not listen to the convicting voice of our loving Father and make some changes. Fast for a day or two and be prepared to hear His voice.