Physical Healing.......Or Not

Healing - this is such a difficult topic, even and especially among followers of Christ. And let me be clear, I am speaking specifically about physical healing.

It seems to me that there are two extreme camps in Christian healing doctrine. One camp says that we shouldn't even pray for healing, because whatever God allows in our life is part of His will, and if He wanted us healthy, He would heal us. The other says that everyone can get healed if only they pray or believe or have faith in the proper way. 

And then there are a whole bunch of people awkwardly sitting in the middle of the camps; people who don't believe that God will always heal if you just have "enough faith", but who also do pray for God to heal, and yet can't give much of an answer about why some people are healed and why some are not. 

I was one of those awkwardly-in-the-middle people for most of my life. And I was pretty comfortable there, not really needing an answer to my questions. That is, until I was suddenly faced with chronic sickness. 

I've been dealing with something for five years now, and neither I nor any doctors have found an answer or a cure. A few months ago, in preparation for a doctor's appointment, I wrote down every symptom that I deal with and there were nearly 30 items on the list. Let me tell you, poor health is one of the most discouraging things, especially for someone whose entire self-worth is wrapped up in the accomplishment of her lengthy to-do list (and that's a whole other topic of discussion). 

This year, the questions about healing grew louder in my mind, and sitting in the middle of the camps felt increasingly awkward. However, neither camp made sense to me, and I have a very difficult time accepting things that don't make logical sense to me.

The one extreme, that illness is part of God's will and we shouldn't try to change it, makes it seem as though God doesn't care, that He is aloof and impersonal. Maybe He is doing what's best for us eternally, but He couldn't care less about any pain or hurt that we feel on this Earth and we shouldn't even bother asking for help. Yikes....why would I want to follow, obey, and love a Father who doesn't care?

The other extreme, that God will heal if you have enough faith, makes it seem as though it's MY fault that I'm ill. What am I doing wrong? Why don't I have enough faith and how do I get enough faith? Why am I not worthy of a healing? 

And so, I studied Scripture to see if I could find an answer. What I found was hard to swallow, but life-changing. 

I found that on the whole, when healing is mentioned in the Bible, it is in relation to healing our hearts and souls, healing from the disease of sin.

• Psalm 30:2 - David is rejoicing that God game him victory of his enemies, that God saved his soul, and at God's favor. 
• Psalm 41:4 - David is asking for is soul to be healed.
• Psalm 103:3 - David is speaking to his soul; he talks about the forgiveness of sin and redemption of his life; he is saying that God heals his soul's diseases. 
• Psalm 107:20 - When someone gets into trouble through their own disobedience, but then repents and cries out to God for help, God will save and heal them from their troubles. 
• Psalm 147:3 - God heals broken hearts.
• Isaiah 30:26 - God will heal the Israelites when they get rid of false idols and return to Him.
• Isaiah 53:5 - Healing from transgression and iniquities. 
• Isaiah 61:6 - Healing a broken heart.
• Jeremiah 3:22 - Healing from backsliding.
• Jeremiah 17:14 - The surrounding verses talk about the heart, and those that forsake God.
• Jeremiah 30:17 - Healing (restoring) the Israelites after captivity. 
• Matthew 13:15 - Jesus says that the people eyes and ear have been shut, so that they cannot turn to Him, repent, and be spiritually healed. 
• James 5:16 - Healing from faults.

But, you say, Jesus physically healed so many people in the New Testament! True; but what typically follows directly after the healing? The person believing that Jesus is the Christ, or an increase in their faith, or them following Him. Jesus chose to heal them physically because it was the best way to heal them spiritually. 

From my studying, I've come to believe that God is far more interested in healing us spiritually than physically. That makes sense to me, because our bodies are only here on this earth, but our souls are for eternity. It's far more important that our souls are healthy than our bodies. This doesn't mean that God doesn't care about our suffering, though. The Bible DOES speak many times about His peace and comfort being with us through the pain.

Paul is a great example of this. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, we see that he prayed for healing, but God chose not to, because He knew that the best way to heal Paul spiritually was through a physical ailment. Once Paul accepted this, he rejoiced in his illness because he knew that it was bringing him closer to God. 

At first, this was very hard for me to deal with, that maybe physical healing will never come to me on this earth. But, ultimately, it helps me to reconcile the two camps and find great peace. Yes, God can and does heal on this earth - but if He doesn't heal me, it's not because I'm not good enough or not faithful enough. Yes, I can pray for physical healing, because God does care; but more importantly, I should pray for spiritual healing, know that God will comfort my heart and mind even in the midst of illness.  

Two books that have really helped me understand this better are Cultivate What Matters by Lara Casey, and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis. 

In Cultivate, Lara uses a garden allegory to deal with lies that we believe about ourselves and our lives. This picture of our lives as a garden really hit home to me. I suddenly realized one day that good health and bad health are just plants in the garden. Bad health may be considered a weed, but hey, so are dandelions, and I love dandelions. Marriage, a job, a comfortable income, or any other life circumstance is just a plant. The more lasting part of the garden is the soil, which is our heart and our soul. Joy, peace, patience - those are all nutrients that need to be in our soil in order for good things to grow, and I believe that God is more concerned with healing our soil than with getting rid of the weeds. We can let the weeds take over our garden and choke out anything else that wants to grow. Or, we can let the weeds be tilled up into our soil, where they will provide nutrients to other plants. And maybe, someday, we can even consider our weeds to be beautiful flowers.  

The Problem of Pain was another eye-opener for me. I learned so much from that book, but one of the main ideas that stuck with me is that God is the greatest Good that there is. I may feel like good health is the greatest good He could give me, but God knows better. God desires our hearts to be wholly His, and He desires that our hearts would want Him more than anything else. He can and does use the pain in our lives to bring our hearts to Him, and to give our hearts the greatest Good, Himself. 

Knowing all of this has certainly not gotten rid of all my discouragement. In fact, I am re-studying and writing this as a good reminder to myself after several days of deep discouragement. However, I have found great peace this year in knowing these truths. Instead of constantly asking for a physical healing which may never come, I choose to ask more frequently for spiritual healing, something which I know God will delightedly do.

What I'm Learning About Trust

Trust is a funny thing, isn't it? It's this grand idea floating around in our heads and a perfect word to use in profound platitudes and motivational memes, but it is incredibly hard to figure out in *real life*. And for me, trust is terrifying.

I've known for a very long time that trust and fear were two of my biggest challenges in life, but I had never taken the time or had the clarity to figure out *why* they were so difficult. This year, thanks to my PowerSheets and God's revelation, I was able to pinpoint it and put it into words.

I am afraid of trusting other people and God because if I let go of control, they may not make choices that I hope/plan/expect, and their decisions may affect me negatively.

Wow. Even as I wrote this I cringed over my own need for "control". But, there it was; the truth about my fears. Yes, my trust issues really affect all my relationships, including with God.

You see, people always like to say things such as,

"Don't be afraid of that, just trust God!"

"Trust God and He'll protect you."

"Trust God and everything will be okay."

Yet that doesn't seem true. God doesn't always protect you from pain. He doesn't always stop bad things from happening. He doesn't always get rid of the difficulty.

Which really is okay. It's not that I expect my life to be cushy, perfect, and pain free just because I'm a Christian. I know that's not promised to us, and in fact I know that God can use the pain and imperfection to make us more like Him. What I struggled with was this: if God isn't going to keep bad things from happening, then *what* am I supposed to trust Him *for*?

Well, in a moment of great frustration and confusion, God graciously led me to read Psalm 56, and verse 11 stood out to me as if it had turned into 3D and jumped off the page.

"In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid of what man can do to me."

It's so simple, isn't it? I honestly felt like smacking my forehead and saying, "Duh, Allison, why haven't you figured this out before now?" Well, God used so many challenging circumstances from last year to bring me to a point of understanding this verse for what felt like the first time.

This is verse is not saying, "I won't be afraid of bad things, because I trust God will stop them." Rather, "Yes, bad things WILL happen; but, I won't be afraid of the bad things happening, because I trust that God will give me His grace and strength in the midst of that bad thing." Wow; as soon as I was able to accept that the bad things would happen, I was able to begin moving past my fear of them.

You know what's so cool about many of the verses that talk about trusting God, especially in Psalms? They're in reference to battles. God is referred to as a shield, a fortress, a strong tower, a place of refuge and rest (Psalm 33:19-22; Psalm 144:2-4; Proverbs 18:10-11). You know something else? Shield are useless if you're sitting safely at home in your fuzzy pajamas, drinking hot chocolate. A shield is only worth something when you're in the battle, arrows flying and swords slashing.

I find this so encouraging because life often feels like a battle to me. A battle against my own flesh and sinful tendencies, against fear, discouragement, jealousy, discontentment, selfishness, and so much more. And that's OKAY! The battle WILL happen, but God is my shield!

I believe that a vivid imagination is a gift from God, and it has certainly helped me to understand this idea more clearly. I imagine myself as a warrior in the middle of a heated battled. I imagine that standing on a battlefield with just a shield to protect you from arrows flying all around is not very comfortable, even if none of the arrows hit you. I imagine that defending a fortress is hard, sweaty, tiresome work, even if the enemy never breaks through the gate or scales the wall. I imagine that retreating from the front lines back to a place of safety and rest requires a lot of alertness and some skillful maneuvering.

I guess what I'm getting at is that not only will the battle happen, but it may not be comfortable. The bad things will come, and even if we *are* trusting God, it may still hurt and feel really hard. But that doesn't mean trusting God is not working or not worth it. 

Let me tell you, this truth has revolutionized my year, and it's only February 4th! Because I can accept that bad things will happen and that people may make choices that I don't want or that affect me negatively,  I can use the shield of trust as it's meant to be used. Ultimately, my trust is in God, to be my provider, my friend, my encouragement, my help, my strength, so I no longer have to fear that other people won't be those things for me. Trusting God first and foremost has freed me to trust other people more willingly, because I know God's grace and strength will be there even if those people disappoint me. 

One of the ways this has been most apparent to me this month is in finances. When "they" say that finances are one of the biggest causes of conflict in marriage, "they" weren't kidding. When two people who have different views on how money should be handled suddenly have to share their money, there's bound to be issues. Now, I'm incredibly thankful that Stephen and I have been able to communicate well and work through these things, but we are still different people with different opinions.

I am so blessed and amazed by how much peace I felt about our finances in January, one of our lowest-income months, and truly trusting God has made all the difference! Normally, I would have seriously stressed about not having enough money for bills, and freaked out any time Stephen made a choice with our money that I wouldn't have, and even foolishly felt like Stephen didn't really care about us or our financial future. Instead, I have been grateful to have enough money to pay the bills, and have seen the reasoning and careful thought Stephen puts into his choices, and felt confident that Stephen does care about us and our money. Has it been a perfect month? No. Have I still felt the fear and worry at times? Yes. Have I spent a lot of time in prayer over it? Yes. 

And that is exactly the point. Finances and bills and money issues *will* always be there. But God will also always be there, shielding me with His grace. He is my provider, even if I do have to walk through a bad or difficult time in our finances. And I am SO grateful for that. 

Truthfully, even writing this post is requiring me to face fears and practice trust. Trusting that my worth is found in God, even if this causes someone to have a lessor opinion of me. Trusting that I have something valuable to say, that God can use my experiences and my imperfect words to encourage others. 

And I hope that's what this does for you. I am excited (and kind of terrified =P ) to continue learning about trust this year; I know that it will require me to walk through many more challenges, that I have certainly not figured it all out yet, and that it is only by God's grace I have learned as much as I have. But I hope this helps you to practice trusting God through whatever difficult circumstance you're dealing with, and that we can encourage each other even as we stand in the midst of the battle.

For His Mercy Endures Forever - Write The Word

Today's main text is Psalm 136:1-12, with the rest of the passage to be copied out tomorrow.

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

O give thanks unto the God of gods: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

To him who alone doeth great wonders: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

To him that by wisdom made the heavens: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

To him that made great lights: 

for his mercy endureth forever: 

the sun to rule by day: 

for his mercy endureth forever: 

the moon and stars to rule by night:

for his mercy endureth forever. 

To him that smote Egypt in their first born: 

for his mercy endureth forever: 

and brought out Israel from among them: 

for his mercy endureth forever: 

with a strong hand and a stretched out arm: 

for his mercy endureth forever. 

Webster's Dictionary: Mercy

      - From the Latin merces "price paid for something, wages, reward" and the old French mercit or merci "kindness or pity shown to someone"

     - #1 A kind and gentle treatment of someone (as a wrongdoer or opponent) having no right to it. 

      -  #2 A blessing as an act of divine love.

Synonyms

      - Clemency: a mild or merciful disposition in the person having the power to punish.

      - Leniency: the repeated overlooking of mistakes by one not inclined to punish. 

     - But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. - Psalm 78:38-39

      - Be merciful until me, O LORD: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. For thou, LORD, art good, and ready to forgive; and plentious in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. - Psalm 86:3-5

      - I will praise thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is they mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.  - Psalm 86:12-13

     - But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plentious in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. - Psalm 86:15-16

      God has the power to punish, and He does at times, but that is not His first inclination. He is not waiting around for the first opportunity to punish us. No, instead, "many a time turned he his anger away". He repeatedly overlooks our mistakes, wrongdoing, and opposition of Him, and treats us with kindness and gentleness, because the price for our sin was already paid by Jesus. 

     That, as I see it, is the full definition of mercy; that the person showing mercy takes the price upon himself, and therefore can treat someone who doesn't deserve it with kindness and gentleness. Just as the Samaritan, who showed kindness and gentleness to a man who didn't deserve it, by paying the full price of his lodging and care himself. In such a way God shows mercy to us, taking all the cost of it upon Himself. Truly, His mercy endures forever.

Proverbs 31 - In Closing

I was kind of surprised this morning to find that I had come to the end of Proverbs 31 study. It's been such an on-going study that I hadn't realized how close I was getting to finishing. 

But, in closing, I wanted to say a few words to wrap it up. This list of seventeen attributes that I have created here are not meant to be a to-do list for us to cross off every day just for the sake of crossing off. Nor are they the benchmark for a "perfect Christian woman" or a way to measure our own righteousness or a recipe for a perfect life.

However, I do believe that these are things which we should be seeking after, praying for, and practicing in our lives. They are attributes which God will work in us and through us as He changes our heart to be more like His, and which show His character to a world desperately needing Christ. 

I pray that God has used this study to work in your life as I know He has done in mine. So many times, completely without planning on my part, whichever attribute I was studying that week spoke so clearly to something I was dealing with. 

I don't know what I'll study from here, or if I'll keep posting it on the blog, but may we all continue to seek to be like Christ and study His words.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #18 - Peaceful

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household..." v. 21

"..and she shall rejoice in time to come." v. 25

A godly woman is peaceful. Some versions of the Bible translate verse 25 as "she will rejoice without fear of the future." She doesn't spend her time worrying and fretting and afraid of the future. 

Webster's Dictionary - Peaceful: untroubled by conflict, agitation, or commotion

Webster's Dictionary - Unworried: not afflicted with mental distress or agitation

I appreciate Webster's definition of peaceful; it doesn't mean "to not experience conflict, etc.", but rather to be "to not be troubled by the conflict that we do experience."

1. Numbers 6:26 - the Lord gives peace
2. Deuteronomy 31:6-8 - do not be afraid, because God fights for you
3. Joshua 10:25 - " "
4. Psalm 3:5-6 - do not be afraid, for the Lord will sustain you
5. Psalm 4:8 - be at peace because the Lord takes care of you
6. Psalm 23:4 - fear no evil, for God is with you
7. Psalm 27:1-5 - who will we fear? The Lord is our strength
8. Psalm 29:11 - the Lord will bless with peace
9. Psalm 55:18 - He will deliver us into peace
10. Psalm 55:22 - cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you
11. Psalm 56:3-4, 11 - I will not fear for my trust is in the Lord
12. Psalm 85:8 - God will speak peace to His people
13. Psalm 91:1-6 - God is our refuge and fortress, so we do not need to fear
14. Psalm 112:7-8 - do not be afraid; trust in the Lord
15. Psalm 118:6 - I will not fear for the Lord is on my side
16. Psalm 119:165 - those who love God's law have great peace
17. Proverbs 3:5-6 - trust in the Lord, and He will guide you
18. Isaiah 26:3 - those who trust the Lord will be kept in perfect peace
19. Isaiah 26:12 - the Lord will make peace, and will work for us
20. Isaiah 41:10, 13 - fear not, the Lord will help you
21. Isaiah 43:1-5 - fear not; God has redeemed you and will be with you
22. Jeremiah 29:11 - God's plan is for our good
23. Joel 2:21-22 - do not be afraid; the Lord will do great things
24. Matthew 6:25-34 - you can not add to your life by worrying; God will care for you.
25. Luke 12:22-31 - " "
26. John 14:27 - God gives His peace to us
27. John 16:33 - we have peace in Jesus because He overcame the World
28. Romans 8:6 - focusing on spiritual things life and peace
29. Romans 14:17 - the kingdom of God is peace in the Holy Ghost
30. Romans 15:13 - we have peace through the hope from God and the Holy Ghost
31. Galations 5:22 - a fruit of the Spirit is peace
32. Philippians 4:6-7 - do not worry; but by prayer and thanksgiving let the peace of God keep you
33. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 - the Lord of peace Himself gives you peace
34. 1 Peter 5:6-8 - cast your cares on God because He cares for you

The characteristic of peace is very similar to the last topic of joy, in that true peace is not dependent on the circumstances around us or based on our own ability to plan for and control the future. True peace comes from the Lord. 

We do not need to fear our present situation or whatever the future brings, because God. God will guide us; He cares for us; He has redeemed us and has a good plan for us; He will do great things! He will fight for us, and sustain us, and give us strength; He is our refuge and He will deliver and keep us in peace. 

Fear is something I struggle with so much, and it constantly pushes me back to prayer, to cast my cares on Him. Some of my fears are simply irrational, but many of them are fears of unknown or unwanted situations. I'm continually learning that I can trust God, not because He will keep me from those hard situations, but because He will never leave me as I walk through them.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #17 - Joyful

"Strength and honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come." v.25

Strong's Concordance - Rejoice: to laugh, to play, to make merry

Webster's Dictionary - Rejoice: to feel joy or great delight

Webster's Dictionary - Joyful: experiencing, causing, or showing joy

1. 1 Chronicles 16:10 - let those who seek the Lord rejoice
2. Psalm 5:11 - let those who trust in God rejoice
3. Psalm 16:8-11 - in His presence is fullness of joy
4. Psalm 20:5 - we rejoice in God and His salvation, in His name we set up our banners
5. Psalm 21:1 - our joy is in the Lord's strength
6. Psalm 30:5 - joy comes in the morning because in His favor is life
7. Psalm 31:7-8 - we rejoice for God knows our trouble and adversity
8. Psalm 32:10-11 - rejoice because of the Lord's mercy
9. Psalm 33:21 - rejoice, because you trust in His name
10. Psalm 35:9 - my soul will be joyful in the Lord's salvation
11. Psalm 40:16 - let those that seek the Lord rejoice
12. Psalm 43:3-5 - in His light and truth, we go unto God in joy and hope
13. Psalm 51:12 - our joy is in His salvation
14. Psalm 63:3-7 - we will praise Him with joyful lips because of his Help and lovingkindness
15. Psalm 70:4 - let those that seek the Lord rejoice
16. Psalm 90:14 - we rejoice because of the Lord's mercy
17. Psalm 95:1-2 - make a joyful noise with thanksgiving to the rock of our salvation
18. Psalm 97:1 - rejoice because the Lord reigns
19. Psalm 118:24 - rejoice because the Lord has made this day
20. Proverbs 12:20 - those who promote peace have joy
21. Ecclesiasties 3:4 - there is a time for everything, to laugh and dance
22. Isaiah 12:2-3 - we have joy because God is our salvation
23. Isaiah 51:3 - there is joy where the Lord rebuilds
24. Isaiah 61:3 - the Lord give joy for mourning
25. Isaiah 61:10 - our joy comes from God's salvation and righteousness
26. Jeremiah 15:16 - God's word is our joy
27. Joel 2:21 - do not fear, but rejoice, for the Lord will do great things
28. Habbakuk 3:17-19 - even when everything goes wrong, I will rejoice in God's salvation
29. John 15:11 - as we abide in God's love our joy will be full
30. John 16:22 - no man can take away the joy that Christ gives
31. Romans 5:10-11 - we have joy in God because of the atonement of God
32. Romans 12:12 - rejoice in hope through trials
33. Romans 12:15 - rejoice with those who rejoice
34. Romans 14:17 - the kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost
35. Romans 15:13 - our faith in Christ brings peace and joy
36. Galations 5:22- a fruit of the Spirit is joy
37. Philippians 4:4 - rejoice in the Lord always
38. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - rejoice forever, through prayer and thanksgiving
39. James 1:2-4 - there is joy even in trials, because trying our faith grows us

I found it interesting when I looked up the word "joy" in Webster's Dictionary, that it was defined as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires." Unfortunately, that very conditional emotion is the only thing the world knows of joy, and is also our first instinct - our situation dictates our joy. 

But in reading the scriptures you get such a different picture of joy. The joy of the Lord is not conditional by any means. In fact, I think Habbakuk 3:17-19 does a very good job of showing that even if everything is falling apart around you, you can still find joy in God. James reiterates that you should specifically choose joy when you go through trials, because the trying of your faith will build you and make you stronger. Our life is Christ is about so much more than just what we eat or drink, or what happens to us; it is about living a life of righteousness, peace, and joy through the Holy Spirit.

So, what do we find our joy in? In God, and in His name. It is because of who He is that we can have joy. In His presence, in His favor, in His strength, in His light and truth we find joy. In His Word, in His love, in His atonement of us, in His help and kindness we find joy. Those who seek and trust the Lord can find great joy no matter what is happening around them.

This joy in an outpouring of Christ through us as we abide in His love and are filled with His spirit. We rejoice because we know that God sees our troubles, and yet we rejoice even more because we know that God reigns and that He is our salvation. Even if there is brokenness, and messiness, and mistakes in your life, there will be great joy as God rebuilds, and take comfort knowing that He will change joy for mourning. 

No matter what happens, through prayer and thanksgiving, we can experience joy always, and no one can take away the joy that comes from Christ.

Write the Word - Peace

The last few weeks have been hard over here. Between a variety of health issues over the past few months, and my grandma's passing, and a few situations which are full of uncertainty, I was left feeling entirely overwhelmed and nowhere near strong enough to handle it all yesterday. 

As yesterday was my normal Bible-study day, I decided to take a break from the Proverbs 31 study to focus more strongly on what I really needed, and I chose to do that through writing out scripture. I love writing the Word; it helps me to focus on and absorb the truth so much more than simply reading it. I hope that these verses also help you, wherever you're at today. 

Even in the nighttime, when it's dark, and scary, and I have no idea what is going on, the Lord still guides me and instructs me. If the Lord is before me, I can rest in hope, and rejoice.

 This is a long time favorite of mine; I believe that I will see God's goodness in this life, and that keeps me going. I can find strength and courage as I wait on the Lord.

 This is my March theme verse; I don't have to do everything, and I don't have to do it all now. God is working, and I can wait patiently for Him, and find rest as I wait.

No matter what the circumstance, I can trust that God is in control, that He is working, and that He will be with me - as I fix my mind on that truth, He will fill me with His perfect peace. 

 

Whether I walk through the water, or the river, or the fire, I will not be overwhelmed, because the One who created me has called me His own, and is always with me. 

Christ has given His peace to us, but not as the World gives it. The World gives things circumstantially, conditionally, and expecting something in return. Christ has given me His peace fully, unconditionally, as much as I need, and not based on the circumstances. So my heart does not need to be troubled or afraid.

A hand is made for doing things - a hand builds, moves, cleans, holds. Whatever God's hand is doing in my life, I need to humbled myself under it. And as I wait for His work and timing, I can cast all my cares on Him knowing that He does care for me.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #16 - Honorable

"She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple." v. 22

"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come." v. 25

A godly woman is honorable.

Webster's Dictionary - honor: a good name or public esteem; one who's worth brings respect or fame

Webster's Dictionary - honorable: deserving of respect or high regard;
consistent with a reputation that is not tarnished or sullied;
characterized by integrity; guided by a keen sense of duty and ethical conduct 
 
Strong's Concordance - honor: ornament, splendor, glory, majesty

Strong's Concordance - honorable: of good standing, respectable,
bearing one's self becomingly in speech or behavior

The idea of being honorable includes many different facets, in my view. First, from verse 22, we see that her clothing is made of silk and purple, a precious color. No matter how humble she is (remember from last week, she's making her own bed linens), she still clothes herself as befits the wife of an elder. She doesn't dress in rags and act like a beggar; no, she dresses and acts in a way that will bring respect to herself and her husband. 

She also figuratively wears honor. She is known for integrity and is worthy of high regard. Her integrity and good conduct are so much a part of her that they are like the very clothes she puts on day in and day out and are present in every part of her life. 

1. Genesis 39:7-12 - Joseph had integrity in refusing the temptation of his master's wife
2. Psalm 7:8 - God judges our integrity
3. Psalm 25:21 - let integrity preserve you as you wait on the Lord
4. Psalm 41:12 - the Lord will uphold you in integrity
5. Proverbs 11:3 - integrity will guide you
6. Proverbs 11:16 - though violence may gain you riches, graciousness will gain you respect
7. Proverbs 19:1 - it is better to have integrity and be poor, than to be crooked and a fool
8. Proverbs 20:7 - a just man walks in integrity and causes his children to be blessed
9. Matthew 6:1 - do not do good deeds just to be seen by men
10. Matthew 23:27-28 - our integrity needs to come from our heart and not just be on the surface  
11. Ephesians 4:1-3 - walk in a way worthy of the Lord's calling
12. Ephesians 4:21-24 - put off your old mode of conduct and put on the new one which is patterned after God in righteousness and holiness  
13. Philippians 1:9-11 - be sincere and pure, filled with the fruit of righteousness to the glory of God
14. Philippians 1:27 - let you conversation be becoming to the gospel
15. Philippians 4:8 - consider good, honorable, upright things and weigh out how you are practicing them in your own life
16. Colossians 1:9-10 - we can walk worthy of the Lord through a knowledge of His will and spiritual wisdom
17. 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Paul behaved justly in Thessalonica, and wants them to walk worthy of the Lord as well
18. Titus 2:3 - older women should behave in a way becoming to holiness and teach the younger women to do so as well
19. Titus 2:7-8 - show a pattern of good works and sincerity in your life
20. 1 Peter 1:13-16 - be holy in all of your conduct as Jesus Christ is holy 
21. 1 Peter 2:12 - let you conduct be honest so that even those who speak against you may see your good works and glorify God 

As the children of a holy and righteous God, we are called to a high standard of conduct. Jesus Christ is our example and goal of holiness; that is an incredibly high calling, and we need to walk in a way worthy of that. 

It is so important for us to walk in a worthy manner, because that is the greatest example of Christ. It also is our greatest witness to others of the gospel; unfortunately, I have heard one too many times of unbelievers being turned off from faith because of the poor way a Christian in their life has behaved. Of course, we all sin and we ought not pretend to be perfect; but we should strive to act in a way becoming to the gospel, so that even those who would wish to slander us will have to acknowledge the good they see, which will bring great glory to God. 

I think a big part of being honorable is having integrity - doing the right thing even when no one is looking, or no one will know the difference. Joseph displayed immense integrity when his master's wife tempted him to join her in sexual sin, but he refused because he could not betray his master's confidence. Even though Joseph did the right thing, the situation was used against him and landed him in prison. Sometimes even in our integrity we will face trials and persecution, but it is that very integrity that will guide and preserve us as we wait for the Lord to act on our behalf. 

God sees all we do and knows our inner intentions, and He will judge our integrity. We should not do the right thing just to get attention or make ourselves look good, all the while being filled with sin and darkness and on the inside. Our integrity needs to come from a renewed heart and mind, one that is patterned after God and filled with the fruit of righteousness. 

I love how Paul talks about this in Philippians 4:8; that phrase "think on these things" is more than just to have good and excellent thoughts. Rather, it means to reckon, calculate, or make an account of. Almost as if you were going over your finances at the end of the month, making an account of everything you spent and earned, seeing what in in your bank account, and balancing your records. Take stock of and weigh out the account of the good, excellent, honorable things in your life, and see how you well you are truly walking in a righteous way. We all fall far short of the goal of Jesus Christ, but by His grace we can walk in a more worthy manner.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #15 - Prepared

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet." -v.21

A godly woman is prepared.

Webster's Dictionary - Prepared: made at an earlier time for later use; made ready in advance; ready for something; in a suitable condition for some purpose for activity.

1. Genesis 6:1-7:5 - Noah prepared for the flood
2. Genesis 41:25-57 - Joseph prepared Egypt for the famine
3. Exodus 16:14-30 - the Israelites trusted God for their daily provision of manna, but also prepared on the sixth day to be ready for the Sabbath
4. 2 Chronicles 27:6 - Jotham prepared his ways before the Lord
5. Ezra 7:10 - Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Lord
6. Nehemiah 4 - the Israelites did not have to be afraid of enemies, because they were prepared for them
7. Proverbs 21:31 - the Lord is our true safety
8. Proverbs 24:27 - prepare for your work
9. Proverbs 30:25 - ants are wise for getting food in the summer
10. Matthew 25:1-13 - watch, and be prepared for Christ's coming
11. Luke 12:22-31 - do not worry just about earthly things, but prepare for heavenly things
12. Luke 12:35-47 - be prepared for the Lord's coming
13. 2 Timothy 2:19-22 - depart from iniquity to be ready for God's purposes

This idea of being prepared requires a big, well-rounded view to get the whole picture. There is indeed an aspect of preparing for earthly things. From the verse in Proverbs 31, we see that this woman doesn't need to worry about the winter, because she has prepared clothes for her family ahead of time. Noah obeyed God and prepared for the flood by building the ark and getting his family and the animals aboard. God used Joseph to saves thousands of people because he prepared ahead of time for the famine to come. When the Israelites were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and there were threats from their enemies, Nehemiah had them prepare by carrying weapons and taking shifts at building and defending. The ants are set up as a wise example to us because they gather food in the summer to prepare for the winter. 

And yet, there is more to being prepared than just our food and clothes and earthly worries, and we should be unafraid of the future not solely because of what WE have done to prepare. An army can prepare their horses for battle, but ultimately their safety comes from the Lord. I find that the story of the manna in Exodus is an excellent example of a very delicate balance between relying on God to work things out and also making preparations for the future. For 5 days, the Israelites were supposed to gather just enough manna for that day, in order that they might learn to rely on God for their basic, daily needs. However, God had also commanded them to observe the Sabbath; they were supposed to gather two days worth of manna on the 6th day so that they were prepared to rest on the 7th. Both sides required faith from the Israelites, though - faith that God would provide food tomorrow, and also faith that the double portion would not spoil. No matter how much we do to prepare, it truly is God that is in control and cares for us. 

Not only that, but we should be concerned with preparing ourselves, too. Jotham, a sixteen-year-old kind of Israel, became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord. Ezra, a great priest, prepared his heart to seek the Lord and His law, and was used mightily among the Israelites. We need to prepare our hearts and minds for heavenly things, and be ready for Christ's call. What a shame it would be if Christ called us to some work, and because our heart was unprepared, we missed the opportunity and blessing. As it says in 2 Timothy 2, let us depart from iniquity and cleanse ourselves from dishonorable things so that we can be ready for the Master's use and prepared for every good work.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #14 - Humble

"She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.". v.22

A godly woman is humble. 

Some translations phrase the first half of this verse as "She makes her own bed linens", because according to Strong's, the "coverings of tapestry" means a coverlette or bedspread. One commentary I read stated that this would be more of a coarse, sturdy linen, but whether these are plain and simple or fancy tapestry, she makes her own bed linens. Also, earlier in verse 15, it states that she rises early to prepare food for both her family AND her servants. You'd expect a woman with maids to make them do the cooking and tedious work of weaving, but no, this woman in Proverbs is humble enough to do that work herself.

Webster's Dictionary - Humble: not proud, haughty, arrogant, or assertive

Webster's Dictionary - Humility: free from pride or arrogance

Strong's Concordance - Humility: gentleness or meekness

1. Psalm 25:9 - God will guide and teach the meek

2. Psalm 37:11 - the meek will inherit the earth and delight in the peace

3. Psalm 138:6 - although the Lord is high above us, He respects the humble, but is distant from the proud

4. Psalm 147:6 - the Lord lifts up the meek

5. Psalm 149:4 - the Lord will beautify the meek with salvation

6. Proverbs 6:16-17 - a proud look is an abomination to the Lord

7. Proverbs 11:2 - shame comes with pride

8. Proverbs 15:33 - humility comes before honor

9. Proverbs 16:5 - a proud heart is an abomination to the Lord

10. Proverbs 16:9 - it is better to be humble and poor than rich and proud

11. Proverbs 16:18 - pride goes before the fall

12. Proverbs 18:12 - pride is before destruction and humility is before honor

13. Proverbs 21:4 - a proud heart is a sin

14. Proverbs 22:4 - riches, honor, and life come by humility and the fear of the Lord

15. Proverbs 29:23 - honor will uphold the humble

16. Ecclesiasties 7:8 - patience is better than pride

17. Isaiah - 29:19 - the meek will increase their joy in the Lord

18. Micah 6:8 - the Lord requires us to walk humbly with God

19. Matthew 5:5 - the meek will inherit the earth

20. Matthew 18:4 - those who are as humble as children will be great in the kingdom of heaven

21. Matthew 23:12 - those who humble themselves will be exalted

22. Mark 7:20-23 - pride comes out of the heart and defiles you

23. Romans 12:3 - don't think of yourself more highly than you ought to

24. Romans 12:16 - don't be haughty, but associate with the humble

25. Galations 5:22-23 - a fruit of the Spirit is gentleness and meekness

26. Ephesians 4:1-3 - walk with meekness, endeavoring to keep peace

27. Philippians 2:3-8 - do everything with humility, putting others before you, even as Christ took the form of a servant and humbled Himself unto death

28. Colassians 3:12 - as God's elect, show humility and meekness

29. 1 Timothy 6:11 - flee sin and temptation, and follow after meekness

30. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 - if you are called to teach others, do so with meekness and gentleness

31. Titus 3:1-2 - be gentle and show meekness to all

32. James 4:6 - God gives grace to the humble

33. James 4:10 - the Lord will lift up the humble

34. 1 Peter 3:1-4 - wives, be in submission to your husband, and let your adornment be that of a meek spirit

35. 1 Peter 5:5-7 - everyone, be humble to each other, for God gives grace to the humble; humble yourself before God, because He cares for you

36. 1 John 2:16 - the pride of life is of the world, not of the Father

The Bible speaks very strongly about pride and humility. A proud heart is not just a sin, but an abomination to the Lord. That's pretty hard; that means it's worthy of hatred and disgust. Pride will defile and destroy you, make you very distant from God, and bring you shame. The pride of life is not from the Father, but from this World. 

On the flip side, humility will bring you close to God, and He will guide, teach, and lift you up. Humility will bring honor, life, and riches far greater than any you could get through pride. More than sacrifice or fasting, God requires that we walk humbly with Him and show meekness as His elect people. 

Often those who are humble and meek get trampled on or badly used or even just forgotten about by the World; however, patience is still better than pride. The humble are made beautiful by the Lord's salvation, find great joy in the Lord, and will be great in the kingdom of heaven. Remember, honor comes after humility.

Humility will change your relationships with others; it is the best way to keep peace and create unity. If you are called to teach others, you should do so with meekness and gentleness, instead of with an air of superiority or condescension. And, although Peter speaks specifically of wives winning their husband to Christ though their humility and meekness, I believe we ALL could get much farther with others if we were to show humility. Humility is a much better adornment and charm than a pretty outward appearance. 

Being humble is one of the most difficult things to do, but as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, it will flow out of us. God gives grace TO the humble, and gives grace to BE humble. We can be humble before God and others because we know that He cares for us and is working on our behalf. Our humility is an example of Jesus, because He left His high station and came to earth in the form of a servant, and humbled Himself even to death on the cross for us.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #13 - Compassionate

"She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy." - v. 20

A godly woman is compassionate. 

This goes hand-in-hand with what we were talking about last week; our compassion will move us to be generous. 

Webster's Dictionary - Compassionate: having or showing compassion; sympathetic

Compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Strong's Concordance - Compassion: to have the bowels yearn, i.e. (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity:—have (be moved with) compassion. 

1. Psalm 78:38-39 - God remembers that we are only flesh, and compassionately forgives us

2. Psalm 86:15 - God is full of compassion

3. Mathew 9:36-38, Mark 6:34 - Jesus had compassion on the lost multitudes, and prayed that God would send workers to guide them

4. Matthew 14:14 - Jesus had compassion, and healed them

5. Matthew 15:32, Mark 8:2 - Jesus had compassion, and fed them

6. Matthew 18:23-35 - a parable of having compassion and showing forgiveness, as Christ did for us

7. Matthew 20:34 - Jesus had compassion, and restored their vision

8. Mark 1:41 - Jesus healed a leper

9. Luke 7:12-15 - Jesus brought a widow's son back to life out of compassion

10. Luke 10:30-37 - the Samaritan had compassion

11. Luke 15:20 - the father had compassion on his prodigal son

12. Romans 12:15 - sympathize with each other, both in joy and sorrow

13. Ephesians 4:32 - be kind and tender hearted

14. Philipians 2:1-2 - be of one mind, show love with compassion

15. Colossians 3:12-13 - as God's elect, we should show compassion

16. Hebrews 2:17-18 - Jesus suffered as we do so that he can be a compassionate and merciful high priest

17. Hebrews 14:15-16 - Jesus is compassionate for he was tempted as we are

18. Hebrews 15:1-2 - every earthly high priest is an example of Christ, in that he can have compassion for the weak, because he has weakness, too

19. 1 Peter 3:8-9 - be of one mind, and compassionate to each other

Jesus is our ultimate example of compassion. Everywhere he went, he had compassion on people, both for their spiritual needs and for their physical needs; this led him to heal, feed, and pray for them. God showed compassion on the Israelites and on us, remembering that we are just weak, frail flesh, and forgiving us. Cannot we then, remember that everyone else is also just frail flesh, and have compassion?

I have seen these quotes going around on Facebook and Pinterest, which all credit different authors but all have the same idea of "You never know what someone is going through, so be kind" or "Be kind, because everyone is fighting a hard battle." That is compassion; and although we may not know exactly what another person is going through, we too are humans and ought to be able to sympathize. 

I love the picture that is used in Hebrews of Jesus being our high priest; he intentionally and willingly suffered and was tempted as we are so that he could be a compassionate and faithful intercessor for us before God. It then continues to say that earthly high priests can also be compassionate to the weak and lost around them, because they, too, have weakness. An earthly high priest could be a pastor, or maybe a missionary, but it can also be you and me, as in 1 Peter 2:9, we are referred to as a "royal priesthood". 

And so, as God's people, we should be of one mind with each other, being compassionate, and sympathizing with each other in both joy and sorrow; that sympathy should then move us to show love, kindness, tenderness, patience, etc. We do those things, not just because it is our duty, but because of the compassion we feel as a result and example of the compassion Christ gives to us.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #12 - Generous

"She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy." - v. 20

A godly woman is generous. 

Webster's Dictionary - Generous: characterized by a noble or kindly spirit; liberal in giving. 

I think it important to set the stage here by saying that generosity does not only speak of giving away money or possessions. Just as we talked about with being economical, our resources can be so many different things, and we should be generous with all our resources; generous with our time, our money, our patience and kindness and love and spiritual gifts and anything that we can give to others.

1. Deuteronomy 5:7, 11 - open your hand and heart to the poor and needy

2. Psalm 112:9 - a good man disperses his wealth

3. Proverbs 3:27-28 - if you have the ability to help someone, do not put it off

4. Proverbs 11:25 - the liberal soul will be made fat

5. Proverbs 13:7 - even if you are made poor because of your generosity, you will still have great riches

6. Proverbs 14:21, 31 - if you honor God, you will have mercy on the poor, and be happy

7. Proverbs 21:26 - the righteous give without sparing

8. Proverbs 22:9 - those who are bountiful will be blessed

9. Proverbs 25:21-22 - we should be generous even to our enemies, as a witness to them

10. Proverbs 28:7 - those who give to the poor will not lack

11. Isaiah 58:1-12 - our "righteous" and religious acts avail us nothing if we are not actively showing the love of God through generosity

12. Matthew 5:42 - give to those who ask you

13. Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22 - Jesus tells us to sell what we have and give to the poor, because we ought not love our possessions more than Christ

14. Luke 3:11 - if you have excess, give to those who don't

15. Luke 6:38 - the generosity that we show to others is the generosity that will be shown to us

16. Luke 12:33-34 - give generously, and you make your treasure in heaven

17. Acts 20:35 - it is better to give than to receive

18. Romans 12:8 - give liberally, not asking glory for yourself

19. Romans 12:13 - distribute to the needs of fellow believers; be hospitable

20. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - we should help others in their time of need because of the grace God has shown us

21. 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 - those who sow bountifully will reap bountifully; give cheerfully and trust that God will supply your needs

22. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 - those who are rich should be ready to distribute, and gain eternal riches

23. James 2:15-16 - good words don't profit if you don't act out your generosity

24. 1 John 3:17-18 - do not just say you love God and others, act your love through generosity

I honestly got so much more out of this study than I expected. I expected most of the verses in Proverbs, and the ones in the Gospels, that talk about being liberal and bountiful and giving to the poor. Not that I intend to minimize the importance of those verses, but simply that they're very straight forward. It is better to give than to receive; there are more valuable riches in Heaven, so we should be willing to give away our earthly riches in order to gain the prize that Christ gives to us. If we have the ability to help someone, we shouldn't put it off, and we should be generous to our enemies, as a display of Christ's love to them. We should give humbly and simply, not looking to glorify ourselves or get something in return. 

There were a few sections that really stood out to me, though. The first was Isaiah 58:1-12, corroborated by James 2:15-16 and 1 John 3:17-18. The passage in Isaiah is God speaking to the Israelites. They were praying, and seeking God, and fasting, and doing all the "right, Christian" things, and yet they were angry because God would not hear their prayer. God says "Is this all I asked of you, to fast and pray and cover yourself in sackcloth and ashes? The fast that I want from you is to break away from sin, to free the enslaved, to give your food to the hungry, bring the homeless into your home, and care for your fellow men. If you do those things, then the Lord will guide you, satisfy you, make you strong, and you will be the foundation for many future generations." I believe the point in these three passages is that God wants more from us than to simply say we love Him, or know the truth, or go through the religious motions. He calls us to actively display His love and the truth of His words through our generosity to others. 

Secondly, the verses in 2 Corinthians 8. Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to be generous in their help of other believers who are in need, using the Macedonians as a good example of giving despite having little to give. Paul reminds them that if they want to give, they should not dwell on the fact that they have very little, but instead think about what they do have to give, and that we give to others because of how much God gave for us. I believe that the church was meant to be a community that supports each other through generosity; as Paul says, not that some are burdened and others get it easy, but that when one person has needs, other people can supply them, and when those people have a need, someone else will step up to supply it. As it says in Romans 12:13, we are to distribute to the needs of the saints and be given to hospitality. I also like how Paul refers to the grace of God many times; Webster's Dictionary states that grace is unmerited help and favor. Even the fact that we have means to give to others is a testament to the grace that God has given to us. 

This flows right into the next chapter of 2 Corinthians, in which Paul continues to talk about giving generously, and that we should do it cheerfully, not with a bad attitude or because we have to. Specifically, verses 8 and 10 stand out to me. God is able to bountifully give you His unmerited help and favor so that, your needs being supplied, you may be bountiful to others in good works. Now, may Jesus Christ supply your needs, multiply the good works you plant in others, and increase the blessing, reward, and fruit that comes out of those good works. Every time I read those verses my heart starts pounding, because it is such a strong picture to me, and resonates so loudly. 

This is how generosity works: Christ was more than generous to us, in that He gave His LIFE for us. Every single day, He is willing to give us Himself to fill us up, if we would only receive it. Once we are full of Him, we can pour out generously to others, in order to fill them with the very same grace that Christ filled us with.

Study of Proverbs 31 - Week #11 - Wise

"She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." - v.26

A godly woman is wise. 

Strong's Concordance - Wisdom: skill in war, wisdom in administration, shrewdness, prudence

Webster's Dictionary - Wisdom: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships, good sense and judgment

Wise: marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment

1. Psalm 19:17 - the Lord's testimony (declaration) is established and faithful, and will make the foolish wise

2. Psalm 37:30 - the righteous speak wisdom

3. Proverbs 1:5 - a wise man continues to learn

4. Proverbs 1:7 - a fool despises wisdom

5. Proverbs 2:1-6 - if you apply yourself to seek wisdom, then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and He will give you His wisdom

6. Proverbs 2:10-11 - wisdom and discretion will preserve you

7. Proverbs 3:13-14 - the gain from wisdom is better than gold

8. Proverbs 4:5-9 - wisdom is the first and best thing, and will ornament you with grace

9. Proverbs 7:4-5 make wisdom like a sister so that you are not tempted or distracted by false strangers

10. Proverbs 8:11 - wisdom is better than rubies

11. Proverbs 8:14 - wisdom has strength

12. Proverbs 8:17 - those that seek wisdom early shall find it

13. Proverbs 8:19 - the fruit of wisdom is better than gold

14. Proverbs 8:20 - wisdom leads in a righteous way

15. Proverbs 8:32,34 - those that seek wisdom are blessed

16. Proverbs 8:33 - the wise will not refuse instruction

17. Proverbs 8:35-36 - those who find wisdom find life

18. Proverbs 10:8 - a wise man will receive commandments

19. Proverbs 10:13,31 - those with discernment will speak wisdom

20. Proverbs 11:2 - the humble have wisdom

21. Proverbs 12:18 -  wise tongue is health

22. Proverbs 13:10 - those who take advice are wise, but pride brings conflict

23. Proverbs 13:20 - to be wise, you should walk with wise people

24. Proverbs 14:1 - a wise woman builds her house

25. Proverbs 14:8 - a prudent ma  will give wise thought to this ways, but folly is deceiving

26. Proverbs 14:33 - wisdom is with the discerning person

27. Proverbs 15:2,7 - a wise mouth uses knowledge well and disperses it

28. Proverbs 16:16 - wisdom is much better than gold or silver

29. Proverbs 16:23 - a wise heart will speak wisdom

30. Proverbs 17:24 - wisdom is with the discerning person

31. Proverbs 18:4 - the fountain of wisdom is like a pouring river

32. Proverbs 19:20 - you will be wise if you receive counsel and instruction

33. Proverbs 24:3 - a home is built by wisdom

34. Proverbs 24:5-6 - wisdom is strong and there is safety in a group of counselors

35. Proverbs 24:13-14 - wisdom to the soul is like honey to the taste

36. Proverbs 26:12 - a man wise in his own conceit is more hopeless than a fool

37. Proverbs 29:15 - correction brings wisdom

38. Ecclesiasties 2:13 - wisdom is better than folly like light is better than dark

39. Ecclesiasties 7:12 - both wisdom and money are useful, but wisdom gives life

40. Ecclesiasties 7:19 - wisdom is stronger than ten mighty men

41. Ecclesiasties 9:18 - wisdom is better than weapons of war

42. Ecclesiasties 10:10 - wisdom gives good direction

43. Jeremiah 9:23 - we ought not glory in our wisdom

44. Romans 11:33 - God's wisdom is deep with riches

45. Romans 12:16 - be not wise in your own conceits

46. 1 Corinthians 1:30 - Jesus is our wisdom

47. 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 - God's hidden wisdom is revealed to us by the Spirit

48. 1 Corinthians 3:19 - the world's wisdom is as foolishness to God

49. Colossians 2:2-3 - all the treasures of wisdom are in Christ

50. James 1:5-6 - if we ask God with faith for wisdom, He will give it liberally

51. James 3:13-17 - anyone who is truly wise will show meekness, instead of pride, selfishness, and jealousy. God's wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.

Wisdom is a vast and deep subject in the Bible, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. 

What a beautiful metaphor: wisdom is better than folly like light is better than dark. Why is light so good? It allows you to see clearly, and in seeing provides good judgment and discernment. It shows dirt in the corner to clean out; it helps you see the fine details on a delicate project; it helps you discern between friend and enemy; it allow you to take stock of anything coming against you so you know best how to fight it off. 

Darkness, on the other hand, obscures your vision, tricks you into seeing things that aren't really there and keeps you from seeing the truth, fills you with fear and causes you to make poor decisions or at least fail in your good attempts. So, wisdom is better than folly. 

The rewards of wisdom are better than gold, silver, and rubies; both wisdom and money are useful, but wisdom brings life. God's wisdom is deep with riches. Wisdom is stronger than tan the brute force of ten mighty men, and is a better defense than the weapons of war. It will preserve you and keep you from being led away by temptations, and will lead you in a good and righteous way. Wisdom gives good direction and counsel. In all your efforts to grow and learn, make sure you learn wisdom, for it is the first and best thing; those who find it find life, blessing, and an ornament of grace. Wisdom is to your soul like honey is to your taste.

If you would find wisdom, apply yourself to seeking it early, and God will give you His wisdom. The fountain of wisdom is like a pouring river - it gushes and gushes and cannot be stopped. Be willing to receive correction and instruction, and surround yourself with wise people. Diligently seek the Scriptures, for the Lord's words are long established and always faithful, and will make you wise. If we ask God for wisdom, with faith intending to act upon it, then He will give it to us liberally. We will find wisdom in Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit God's hidden wisdom is revealed to us.

We are warned not to seek the world's wisdom, because it is as foolishness to God, and the wisdom of God is often thought of as foolish by the world. We also should not be prideful in our wisdom or think we know it all, because that person is more hopeless than a fool, and a fool despises wisdom. 

Instead, a truly wise person will show meekness, because God's wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. A wise person will be humble, righteous, and discerning. they will continue to learn and not refuse instruction. They will take advice and give wise thought to their ways. A wise person will speak wisdom and use their knowledge well, giving health to those who hear them. Lastly, it is through seeking, using, and speaking wisdom that we will build our house strong.