Subscription Lists
Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Alliteration is sometimes a game with me. I try to see how many relevant phrases I can string together, all beginning with the same sound or letter and making some degree of sense. Wednesday Wisdom is an example. In the past I have written Friday Flyers as well as Monday Miscellany. This is the first of subsequent Wednesday’s Wisdom articles.
Just so you will know what to expect, I will share with you a picture of what I wish to achieve by these articles. First, they will be “stand alone” articles; they will not be continued from week to week. Secondly, they will not present my wisdom, for quite frankly and with no intention of being modest, I don’t know if I have any wisdom. Thirdly, I plan to present some event or saying from real life that seemed wise to me at the time. Finally, I plan to compare or contrast the event/saying with the Bible and make a practical application or two from the subject matter.
A few days ago a friend of mine was teaching a Bible Class at our congregation and he quoted someone as saying, “Wisdom is knowing what to ignore.” That statement hit a sticky spot in my mind and it is still with me. As a parent, I learned to ignore a lot of things; some were rightfully ignored; others would have been better ignored; still another class of things which my girls did should not have been ignored but were. The more I thought about the quotation, the more correct I came to believe it to be. Take my desk at work, for instance. On it or near it is a stack of papers I call my “pile file.” In this stack of papers are things that do not demand my immediate attention. Nevertheless, there is something about them that will not allow me to just toss them away. I let them “age” in this pile until - 1) Some event demands that I address them, or 2) They age sufficiently with no activity until disposal is a viable option!
The writer of the Proverbs endorsed this concept of wisdom. For instance he said, “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears.” (Proverbs 26.17). Holding a dog by the ears is akin to grabbing a tiger by the tail; the real danger comes when you try to let him go! Wisdom, says leave some things alone, especially if they are not of your doing and if you “don’t have a dog in that race.” Paul put it this way, “Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” (2 Timothy 2.23). Another way of stating this same principle is this, “Choose your battles carefully!” There is just no way to wrestle a pig and win. Even if you win you lose! Some arguments pose a “lose-lose” situation and ought to be avoided at almost any cost.
Jesus was a Master at ignoring the irrelevant and getting down to what needed to be said. It is somewhat amusing to read the gospel accounts and see how He occasionally would totally ignore a comment and come back with an insightful response. On one occasion, a group of people spoke to Him about a “current event;” Herod had committed a barbaric act against some Galileans during a period of worship (Luke 13.1). Why they chose this as a topic to discuss, we can only conjecture. However, whatever their motive, He didn’t buy it. He simply turned the tables on them and said, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” So significant was this message that He repeated it verbatim the second time (see Luke 13.3 and Luke 13.5).
Jesus not only knew what to ignore, He also knew what to say when others ignored that which needed to be said! This is true wisdom, something for which I can only strive. Blessings!
Questions:
1. Why is it important to choose your battles wisely?
2. When Jesus said that we should not cast our pearls before swine, was that counsel similar to “choose your battles wisely” (see Matthew 7.6)? Why or why not?
3. When some wanted to only talk about current events, why do you suppose Jesus thought it important to talk about their need for repentance?
4. As a reader, how can I profit from this devotional message?
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Today's Little Lift" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.