"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it's full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:2-5 ESV
Wisdom is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given. In all of my human endeavors, I will only make it as far as my logic will carry me. "Make it" seems to imply that I'm barely getting by, dragging one foot in front of the other, clinging to a rope on the side of a mountain, hoping that I will summit the peak. This weekend, I am thankful for the wisdom that I have gleaned from the Word and from the guidance of those whom I trust.
As we wrapped up our luncheon celebration for my aunt's birthday, my grandmother and I shared a heart-to-heart moment as she passed on to me the treasure of Psalm 112. A mere 24 hours later, my uncle explained the analogy of a runner, chasing after the finish with everything in their being. To this runner, there is no distraction, cheer or boo that will slow their pace. As I read through the beautiful text of Psalm 112, I see an undeniable parallel between the example of the runner and verses 6-9: "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries." The psalmist does not indicate that bad news will not hit the headlines of our life story, but if our eyes are fixed on Christ and we chase after His calling with reckless abandon, our pace will remain strong.
As you venture into a new week, I encourage you to check your pulse, glance at your stopwatch and narrow your focus. If you lack wisdom, James reassures us that God will give it to us, GENEROUSLY! All we have to do is ask.
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