On Friday we explored the idea of wisdom. After looking at James 3:17 we found that wisdom is not just stuff you know; it’s who you’re known to be. Today let’s try to apply James’ insight about wisdom to our own lives. Let’s look at that verse again: “But the wisdom from above is first … Continue reading Embody one of these traits this week
knowledge
Wisdom: who you’re known to be
Who or what is a wise person like? Many people, when they try to describe someone who is wise, start to list things they know—usually profound bits of knowledge which have been tried and tested though time and the refining grind of real-life experiences. I would tend to agree. That certainly sounds a lot like … Continue reading Wisdom: who you’re known to be
Well-grounded people
Do you need wisdom to ground you? To make you more stable? Me too. Fortunately, Jesus’ half-brother James (a prominent leader in the early church), tells us what to do: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. … Continue reading Well-grounded people
Be a California Redwood
The California Redwoods are massive trees, apparently the biggest living things on earth. Some are higher than 360 feet, and some are more than 60 feet around. Many are over 100 years old, and some are even over a thousand years old. Some of them have even been somewhat burned in forest fires—but they still … Continue reading Be a California Redwood
What does it mean to be wise, anyway? [Plus, new book announcement!]
Yesterday I said that when you gorge on information, you’re too full for wisdom. But what does it mean to be wise, anyway? Fear not. We don’t have to guess. Jesus tells us.
When you gorge on information
Saying that we live in the “information age” seems like an understatement. There is more information coming at us than ever before. In 2019 YouTube reported that 500 hours of new video content is uploaded every single minute. Yup, every minute. Combine this with news, blogs, radio programs, social media, Netflix, TV, music, movies—the list goes … Continue reading When you gorge on information
Dealing with criticism
How good are you at dealing with criticism? Me neither! Lol When someone criticizes us we usually have an instinctual, impulse reaction (which is probably negative). We can immediately dismiss what the other person said, think ungenerous things about them, and go about the rest of our day with a proverbial storm cloud over our … Continue reading Dealing with criticism
Are all new ideas good, bad, or something else?
Some people think every new idea is a good idea. And others think that every new idea is a bad idea. But it’s not that simple. So let me share something that I think should make us both more humble and more hopeful about how we approach new ideas. Larry Osborne points out that virtually … Continue reading Are all new ideas good, bad, or something else?
The difference between information and wisdom
Have you heard of data overload? Researchers at the University of Southern California found that the average person in 1986 was exposed to the equivalent of 40 newspapers worth of information each day. By 2006 that number had increased to an equivalent of 174 newspapers a day. And that was way back in 2006! Can … Continue reading The difference between information and wisdom
Believing what we WANT to be true, verses what actually is
A 2007 Gallup poll revealed that 81% of people believe in heaven, but only 69% believe in hell. That seems strange to me. But it’s also very telling. We like to believe in things we like, but not in things we don’t. The Scottish theologian James Denney did a survey of Jesus’ teaching and found … Continue reading Believing what we WANT to be true, verses what actually is
