Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

We all have heard about the person who gets 3 wishes and we wonder what we would ask for were we given the opportunity. However, that has only ever happened once in history and that was when God gave Solomon one wish for what he wanted. Instead of asking for riches or power, Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God’s people – a very wise choice on his part. God thought so as well for not only did he grant Solomon great wisdom, He also promised he would make him wealthy. Solomon ended up wise, wealthy and very popular.

Wisdom is something we all should ask for, were we given a wish by God. Nothing is more important than being able to make wise choices and godly decisions. What’s nice to know, though, is that God will give us wisdom if we ask for it (James 15). It’s available for us as well. God promises it.

So then why do we make some very foolish decisions and destructive choices? Simply because we aren’t using God’s wisdom, we are using our own human understanding and that is very undependable. Even Solomon did the same thing when he took 700 wives and 300 concubines and turned to idolatry. He tried to find satisfaction in women, work, pleasure, riches., etc. – but none of it succeeded. He wrote about this in the book of Ecclesiastes. Even very wise people can err when they go by their wisdom instead of God’s wisdom.

The choice is ours. How we can ever think we know more or better than God is mind-boggling. But too often we do. Thankfully God is patient to forgive, restore and even turn use our bad choices to bring about good (Romans 8:28). Each day, though, we should ask God to grant the one wish He delights to give – godly wisdom.

Scripture
Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Proverbs 3:13-15, “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.”

Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

1 Corinthians 3:18-21, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.'”

James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Reflect

• Think of some times when you made decisions or choices without consulting God and going by His wisdom. What were the consequences?
• Where do you need God’s wisdom in your life today? How will you know if you have it?
• Take a few minutes now to pray and ask God for His wisdom in all your choices and decisions in life. Thank Him for it.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 14 years, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!

Posted on May 3, 2009