wisdom

Wednesday, 15 June 2005 T: 22 46

I never thought I receive so much spiritual wisdom in a week. From the previous Wednesday to now, I listen to 11 sermons by various preachers – namely Jack Fish, Christopher Chia, Phillip Jenson and Joshua Ng – as well as 3 sessions of bible studies led by Kevin.

In this midst of intellectual theological knowledge that I have accumulated, somehow, I do question the source of motivation for my continuously yearning to know more. Is it really for the Lord? It seems I can’t be sure. Perhaps as mature Christians (not that I’m praising myself, for godly wisdom is inherited from God), we often thought ourselves as being cut above the rest – the weaker – and perhaps eventually became foolishly arrogant and over-confident. As much as how we would like to see our gaining theological knowledge as part of the objective to be more deeply in Christ, we must also acknowledge that sin may lead us otherwise. We must be cautious and watch ourselves carefully, being slow to point out the mistakes in others, but readily be able to eliminate the sins in our lives. With our acquired wisdom, we should always thank God and teach others too, and help others in their Christian walk.

Even if we have wisdom, the point is if we use it at all, if we put it into practice into our daily lives, discerning between good and evil, doing the right thing, or become like Pharisees, proclaiming the wisdom of God hypocritically, living lives full of evil and sin. As Christians who understand the gospel and the Lord’s salvation plan, why do we still hanker after profits, struggling to climb up the ladder of success, in pursuit of our ambitions and careers, almost idolising money, despite the fact that we know from God’s words all these is but a chasing after the wind? Why do parents undergo means and ways to get their children to the top schools, discipline them to get perfect grades, and not at all concern in inculcating in them the correct values, as well as faith in God as well? Why do Christian parents yearn for their kids to get their success in life, but places in second place whether or not they will get to heaven? Does this make sense? Where is our faith put in in the first place? Is it in simple, worldly material? I can’t help but wonder…

We claimed and proclaimed to be believers, yet our lives do not reflect it. And with that, I can’t help but wonder if that proclamation is just an empty, baseless and unjustified statement; maybe we are not even believers, just people who claim to be! Even among Christians, we find divorcee rate increasing higher and higher, when Paul preaches in his letters that such is not allowed. We concocted reasons and excuses to get out of the marriage, blaming and cursing the other party, instead of admitting our very own mistakes, and reflecting upon our faults. We find partners who are non-Christians, turning a deaf ear to the Word that say that we are not allowed to, even twisting facts and truth. We hunger and search for outward appearance when looking for boyfriends/girlfriends. Godliness and faithfulness of a person become a secondary attribute. In the end, blinded by our infatuations, if not lust, we marry, and later finding difficult in submitting or loving each other. When the wisdom of God is ignored, replaced by the folly of man, there can only be consequences of pain and sorrow, and when that happens, don’t we deserve it?

Marriage is a bond shared by a couple for life. I dare say that it is a very serious thing and not to be taken lightly. We should always be cautious and detailed when looking for a partner. I’m not telling you to be picky and all. But at the end of the day, the partner that you are looking for is whom you must love or submit. This is especially important for women, since they have to submit to their husbands. It’s difficult enough submitting to a Christian one, then how about one who full of sin and foolishness! I dare say that looking for an ideal partner is not easy. Outward appearance is not significant of course, but godliness and faithfulness is a trait I would like to think almost extinct in this fallen world. (Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I myself am not one). Yet when such a couple is together, there can only be love and happiness, a perfect illustration to the marriage of Christ to the church. In Proverbs, the last few chapters of the book describe the life a wife ought to lead. The rest of the book is for the men. I know it’s impossible. (Haha) Amusingly, in Singapore, statistics reveal that Christian women outnumber Christian men 3:1. What are the implications of this? Shrug… I don’t really know. (Fellow brothers, in love of our sisters, evangelise to men more?)

I think, at the end of the day, be it a single or a married person, we do suffer everyday. One may think, when looking at Christians who are so well off, so affluent and wealthy, having a family which seems to be full of happiness and joy, how will such a person suffer? To him I shall say, this is a fallen world, we are all depraved people, we will all struggle with sin. No matter how rich and wealthy he is, he will still struggle with his own sin, and that is suffering. This seems so unfair. Why some people suffer less than the rest? Since when the world is ever fair, not as long as there is sin, but when we suffer, we should remember God and his promise, persevere in him, and take joy in our sufferings, for it will humble and all this is for the glory of God.