Looking back years past on the choices I made and the paths that I took when I had my first taste of real freedom, I see clearly how my unwise decisions have caused me a great deal of pain and suffering. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.
But when I was in the middle of making those decisions, I felt like I was doing the right thing. I was exercising my rights and my freedom to choose for myself what I would do. And it felt good. Initially.
So I wonder what I am doing today that seems right to me, but may have negative consequences for my tomorrows. What I do today will affect how my life is years from now, as well as the lives of my children, either for good or for bad. I want my decisions to be made with godly wisdom.
James 3:17 says:
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy."
Godly wisdom says I should think about my motives (are they pure?) and that I not demand that everyone stop bugging me when I'm trying to get something done (am I peaceable?).
Godly wisdom says I need to watch my response when I've heard "Mama?" for the seven hundredth time in an hour (am I being gentle?); and it tells me I need to be willing to yield my desires for the sake of my family (am I being reasonable or perfectionistic?).
Am I giving my husband and my kids the same mercy I want from them? Do I expect good fruit to come from my "wisdom" if I'm inconsistent (instead of being unwavering, no matter how exhausted I feel)?
And, what am I showing my kids? Am I teaching them by my words and actions that I believe what the Bible says? They are watching me (yell about the driver pulling out in front of me when I'm in a hurry), and they see if I live what I say I believe. Hypocrisy does not go unnoticed.
To help me to walk in godly wisdom, I am memorizing this scripture (for starters), because my mouth is a great source of woe in my life:
"She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue," (Proverbs 31:26 NASB)"
How about you? I encourage you to examine your ways, and ask yourself if your house is full of peace.
If not, ask God to show you an area in which you need to apply godly wisdom.
If your house is peaceful and you feel like all is well, ask Him to show you if you have any pride that needs to submit to His wisdom. (Sometimes family goes along with what we moms want, just to keep the peace.)
And, if you care to, let me know how that goes.
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