Thursday, January 7, 2010

Are you smarter than a .....?

I work part-time for a fantastic retailer.  I was making my 25 mile commute the other day when a very impatient dude sped up behind me in a souped-up mustang.  I had safely pulled out a good distance in front of him.  But to let me know he had to at least come off the gas 30 seconds after I pulled out he sped right up to the rear of my vehicle.  He tailgated me pretty closely until I got into Gainesville.  As soon as we got into the 4-lane area he sped around me.  It was his way of letting me know I had thrown his entire day off due to my slower driving.  By the way, I do my best to drive the speed limit.  And when some impatient dude is tailgating me I enforce that virtue even more.  But...God is still working on me too.  He he!

This incident reminded me of a couple of things.  First, the road is a very good place to have your "Practice what you preach" tested!  Even though encountering people on the road can be quite impersonal, it is also a realm in which the true essence of a person comes out!  Second, the road presents the litmus test to determine a person's "smarts" level!  I see many people doing things on the road that really makes me wonder if they have fully matured upstairs enough to be trusted with driving a mule on a farm road.  I am convinced that driving a car safely...takes wisdom. 

The Bible says that long life accompanies wisdom.  Long life is not a reward for wisdom.  It is the result of wisdom.  For instance, speeding in a car just for the fun of it or because one is habitually late increases the chance of death for driver, passengers, and people in other vehicles.  What makes this foolishness is the fact that everyone knows it is dangerous to speed.  On the other hand, wisdom calculates possible scenarios and plans accordingly.  If you speed because you are habitually late...change your habits and live longer.  Christ-followers are in danger of presumption (tempting God) when they believe He will protect them as they violate His wisdom.

The Proverbs tell us over and over how to get wisdom.  It starts with acquiring knowledge.  Then with the knowledge comes understand.  If I understand how I can easily kill myself, wisdom encourages me NOT to do it.  If I do it anyway that's foolishness (the opposite of wisdom).  James tells us Christ-followers if we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask God for it.  God gives wisdom liberally.  But we must apply it to every day real-life situations.  Wisdom really works.  It is designed to impact lives starting with your own.  What about it?

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