Modern Wisdom

Not only is it about how we treat others, we know it is about wisdom. So do we all need to become scholars? Must we become wiser than the wise men to understand and mature fully? Look at what Paul says next:

1 Corinthians 2: 6-7
6We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.


So we are in search for wisdom, but it is not what you are thinking. It was not the wisdom of Paul’s age, and it is not the wisdom of this age. For just as it was for the wise then, so it is for us today, the wise are coming to nothing. All of the books in the world will not revel this type of wisdom. It is the wisdom of knowing God; of learning what Paul calls God’s secret wisdom.

Modern wisdom is a stumbling block for many people. As I have pointed out before Paul left all of his “wisdom” behind. He was a very wise man in the laws of the Jewish faith, it is apparent in the way he calls on text from the Old Testament effortlessly in his letters. Yet he dropped all of it, to preach Christ crucified, with that comes the wisdom that has been hidden, and that God destined for our glory before time began.”

We find ourselves in the same rut today; many of us have a hard time letting go of modern wisdom. Modern wisdom would have you believe that you are the most important thing in the world, yet Christ tells us that to be the most in the kingdom of heaven we must be willing to be the least. Modern wisdom tells us that he who dies with the most toys wins, yet Christ told the rich man to give everything away and come follow Him. Modern Wisdom will tell us to rely on the government, or our job, or ourselves, yet Christ tells us to rely on Him, and his Father.

Now we start to get an idea of this hard to find wisdom. Of course it is hard to find, we are not trained to think like that! Have you ever done something for so long that you just do not see any other way to do it? It is sort of like buying a new car. Now the old one worked OK but it just could not continue to get you where you are going, so you head on down to the car lot, and trade it in for a newer one. You have heard about this car you want, you have seen pictures in magazines, and know just the color you want. You have talked to friends and they all agree it is THE car to get. SO you wheel and deal, try to get the best deal, a little more bending and twisting, perhaps a few tears, and finally the deal is done, you have the new car. The one you have wanted, the one you know you need to have, the one that will get you everywhere you want to go. SO you jump in, put on the seat belt, adjust the …….well hang on where is the mirror adjustment??? Oh there it is, and your off driving down the road go to make a turn,…..hey wait a second, my old car had the turn signal on the front switch not the back…..MAN I am going to have to learn all of this all over again!!

That is why looking for this wisdom Paul talks about can be difficult to understand at first. It is like a new car, you know you need Christ, you know you want to learn about him, you know you want to mature in your faith, but man in my old life the turn signal was over here!!! The key is just like anything getting off the milk and on to the meat is a transition, you have to re-learn some things, and learn some new things, but the key is to keep learning! Don’t get comfortable on the milk!

Peace,
Rev. Thetford