Ready. Set. Grow! Footsteps of Faith for a Life That Flourishes by Heidi St. Johnنموونە

Start with God’s Wisdom

“Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.” Proverbs 20:5, NLT

I grew up watching television talk shows in the eighties. From Phil Donahue to Oprah Winfrey, cultural advice was abundant. Sally Jessy Raphael had her own brand of “good advice,” and as a young teen, I was riveted by her show. My friends and I drank it up. We all listened and watched with bated breath as Sally took to the stage with her cute short hair and her oversized red glasses. She was a ringmaster of sorts, and she paraded people out in front of her audience with problems ranging from the simple to the absurd.

It was a little bit like watching a train wreck in slow motion as we saw husbands confessing to adultery in front of live television audiences, and children left sobbing in the front row as they watched their father announce the name of the woman who had betrayed their family. We couldn’t turn away, because in some respects, we knew the awful truth about human nature: we all struggle with sin on one level or another. It may not have been adultery, but we could relate to the pain and the struggle.

I think we watched because, secretly, we were hoping that these talk show gurus could offer a solution. The ratings soared, but the solutions never really came. You see, even though human wisdom could be found in abundance on these shows, true healing was never found. That’s because healing is found only in Jesus. How we need His wisdom today!

Social media offers solutions in abundance—and today, though the platforms are different, the lure of human solutions remains. We are being targeted by entertainers in the same way we were targeted in the eighties. If we are going to be able to see past the lines and the lies, we will need supernatural assistance.

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10). If we want to be women who will model wisdom and live by it, the Bible teaches that we need to find it first in the Word of God. Human wisdom will never be able to address the underlying issues of the problems that we struggle with. When we start with God’s wisdom, we can’t go wrong.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Your Word tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is not a fear that causes me to run away, but a holy reverence that draws me closer to You.

Today, I pray for a healthy fear of You, one that leads to wisdom, understanding, and a fulfilling life that honors You.

Father, guide me in applying this healthy fear in my everyday actions, decisions, and interactions.

Search my heart, Lord, and reveal any areas where I may fall short.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.