Many Faces of Wisdom
Wisdom in Proverbs
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
The Value of Wisdom
Galatians 6:1-10 The Message
Nothing but the Cross
6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
6 Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.
7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time, we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
For Reflection
God has given humans the power to think rationally and emotionally. God has made us in God's image with the capacity to think and act creatively. There is great wisdom in these passages. We do indeed reap what we sow.
Our thoughts and actions have consequences as the New International Version of the Bible put it, "A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Such consequences are not heaped on the sinner alone. We are all harmed by the selfish desires of others.
What have we done to deserve such adverse impacts? Nothing! We have stood by and done nothing!
Pray
Pray, pray, and pray some more. Pray so that you understand the wisdom of God's cultural mandate (Genesis 1:28) to shepherd God's creation and be a good steward of all things, including each other.
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