Do you ever find yourself in utter disorder? Are you rushing here and there, very active, but getting nothing accomplished? If you are like most Americans, you’d answer “yes” to that question. You end the day wondering what evidence of good you have to show for your efforts.
Have you heard the common answer to the question, “How are you?” The answer – BUSY! We are all busy. One definition of the word busy is full of distracting elements. The reality of life is lost in all the “extras” we add to our days.
We read Proverbs 31 and can say no one is doing more than that woman. She was busy! Hear the end of the Proverb, however. It concludes “give her the fruit of her hands” (Proverbs 31:31). This busy woman had something to show for her efforts. The Proverb never once alluded to her being “busy”. She was never distracted by all the “extras” in her life.
What was her secret? What did she have? Can we get it too? I believe the secret to her life was godly wisdom. I believe we can possess the same wisdom she had and have the same fruitful life she produced.
She didn’t get her success secrets from the “best practices of the day” column. She wasn’t striving to be the best or covetously zealous to get ahead of everyone else. She was strong and dignified. She was productive and influential. She was organized and profitable. She had evidence of her divinely-balanced virtue of wisdom by the fruit of her life which displayed her noble character.
Her noble character did not come because she did all the things she did. Her noble character did not come because she influenced all the people her life touched. Her noble character was not the reason she was profitable in her business. Her noble character was not because of what she was outwardly, but because of what she was inwardly.
The message and tone which carried from her was wisdom and kindness. Her “bark” was gracious and approved by God. Her “words” were full of strength and intelligence. She was sensible in all she said and the way she communicated to others. Luke 6:45 tell us the mouth speaks what is in the heart. What is at the core of a person comes out in what is said and the tone by which it is expressed. Wisdom was at the core of this successful, strong, organized woman.
Mark it down, this woman feared the Lord (Proverbs 31:30). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). She had what was at the entry point of wisdom. James 3:17 gives another primary ingredient for godly wisdom. The entry point of wisdom as described in the book of James is pure. James says the first way to know you possess godly wisdom is that it is clean, completely free of contaminates. The seed of what creates all the fruit in your life comes from broad and full intelligence that is not mixed with guilt or anything condemnable.
Chaos and every disorderly thing is the result when we are getting wisdom that is from the world. When we are utilizing techniques that are trying to help us reach our goals or maximize the benefit of our effort to get ahead in the game of life, we can be assured that “wisdom” is not from God. It is from the world, our flesh, and/or the devil. (James 3:15-16)
Let us be wise and understanding. Let us display our godly wisdom by noble and honorable character displayed in our actions that show forth the divinely-balanced life we live by having godly wisdom at our core. This is totally possible and absolutely doable. However, it doesn’t come by adding anything “extra” to your life. It actually is only possible when you subtract things from your life. It is only as you lay aside “things” that your life becomes pure. It is only as you give up things, get rid of attitudes, and discard lies that you are able to have the pure entry point to wisdom. The single-minded, single-focused, single-love, honor and respect for God is the only way to remove the chaos from your life.
How do you get this godly wisdom? You ask for it. You ask God to give it to you. This wisdom is “from heaven”. It is not anything you get by striving to be all you can be. It is a gift. James 1:5 gives this recommendation. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” The text does expand to tell us that we must ask in faith and ask with a “this is the only way” mentality.
Begin today. Stop adding more. Stop doing more. Stop trying harder. Instead, ask for God to give you wisdom from Heaven. Ask for the entry point to wisdom which is an uncontaminated honor and respect for the Lord. Let’s watch your life of chaos disappears and your noble character begin to bloom by the divinely balanced core God gives.
Written By: Anne Gurley
