“That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT
“Without wisdom, as the work wears on you will wear out.”
My thoughts today are “wisdom makes life easier.”
Everyone wants to have success, but that does not come easily to any and may not come at all to some. Success does not come without hard work, but neither does it come from hard work alone. Success is not the result of mere effort or added exertion, or every diligent, hard working person would succeed beyond their dreams.
You will observe that some people work so hard and still have little to show for all their effort. Learn to work smarter as well as harder. Solomon wrote, “Since a dull axe requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT.
When life gets tough, some people just try harder, doing the same thing they were doing that didn’t work. The toughest of jobs can be accomplished better, faster, and easier by taking the necessary time to sharpen the axe! Wisdom makes anything easier, when that wisdom is Godly wisdom. See James 3:13-18 NIV.
To Solomon, it was simple. Living without wisdom is like using an axe with a dull blade. You have to exert yourself far more than should be necessary. Success comes to those who value wisdom. Wisdom helps you keep a growing edge – a sharper edge – in your life, which is a significant advantage over assuming effort alone will produce the desired results.
You can work hard to make life work, or you can ask God for wisdom and learn how life works. “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” Proverbs 24:3-4 NIV.
To be truly successful, you must stay sharp physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is not extreme effort in any one area that succeeds, but taking time to achieve balance and excellence in all of those. Without that, ordinary, everyday life can become dull and seem more tiring and less satisfying. Without wisdom, as the work wears on you will wear out.
Being well physically means paying attention to your health, getting rest, proper nutrition and regular exercise. Caring for your mental health comes from seeking to learn and understand, and enjoying intellectual stimulation and challenge. Keeping emotionally healthy requires successfully managing negative emotions such as worry, fears, and maintaining healthy, edifying relationships.
Most important of all is: guard your spiritual well being and growth through the daily disciplines of God’s Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship with regular church attendance and involvement. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalm 111:10 NIV. You take the first baby steps toward wisdom when you open your life to God’s love and reverence His Word, will, and wisdom. Read James 1:5 NIV.
My prayer for you today is that you will prize true wisdom, which comes only from above.