"Honey, Wisdom & Hope"

These words of Solomon have held my attention for several days -

"EAT HONEY, MY SON, FOR IT IS GOOD; HONEY FROM THE COMB IS SWEET TO YOUR TASTE. KNOW ALSO THAT WISDOM IS SWEET TO YOUR SOUL; IF YOU FIND IT, THERE IS FUTURE HOPE FOR YOU, AND YOUR HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF." Proverbs 24:13-14 NIV

I eat a little honey almost every day because I like it and because of its health benefits. However, making the connection with wisdom required more time to process than the immediate effect of honey on the tongue.

Wisdom is a blessing of experience. Today, nearing 70 years, I am much wiser than at any other time in my life because of two critical factors: (1) I learned from what Solomon often refers to as "folly", that repeating what doesn't work out very well is just plain old DUMB!; (2) I learned that only God, my real Father, possesses what I need to know to succeed as a man, a husband, a father etc. Wisdom is God's gift to me because I turned my heart, like Solomon did, and pursued the knowledge of God that ultimately becomes wisdom. But, it takes time and patience for it to become a consistently "sweet" experience like eating honey every day. NOW I GET IT!

God imparts wisdom to all of us through his Holy Spirit, mostly by the revelation of his word, but also by helping us correct our thinking and actions. He gives us the gift of his Spirit when we repent and are baptized into the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38) and it is that GIFT within us that guides us into wise living. We slowly acquire an inner "voice" that I call the "SPIRITUAL CONSCIENCE", which gives us the daily guidance, along with our study of God's words, that becomes wisdom.

Paul stated it this way - "Those who are controlled by the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:5-6 NIV

So, now, every morning when I spread my peanut butter and honey on whole wheat toast I think of Solomon's words and how God's wisdom has given me a sure expectation of future good (hope) and that is sweet to my soul! Try it for yourself and start each day with a great big HALLELUJAH! HOPE'S GOOD!