“My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.” (Proverbs 3:21-23)
Wisdom in God provides a life of stability, peace and assurance. Wisdom in God is always practical, applicable to any and every situation in which we find ourselves. Wisdom gives us “centeredness” in life, a sense of what is right and wrong, and even though we don’t know all the answers of our objectors to our faith, we know what and Who we know. There is an old story of a university janitor who was cleaning the room of a revered professor, who was an unbeliever.
The janitor had just become a Christian and was chatting with the professor about his new-found faith in Christ. The professor was not in the least impressed and dismissed the janitor’s speech with question after question and declaration after declaration of why the Christian faith cannot be true. Not knowing what to say or how to respond, the janitor simply replied, “I don’t know about any of that. All I know is that there is only one name under heaven by which a person can be saved, and that is Jesus Christ.” The professor went home fuming, angry that this lowly janitor could not accept his well-framed arguments against God and Jesus. Later that night, this professor, unable to sleep, got on his knees and found Jesus as his Lord and Savior as well.
This janitor didn’t try to argue or convince the professor. What he did do was to try to be a janitor who pleased God in his janitorial work and showed to others how happy, stable and well-adjusted he had become. Instead of arguing, he shared. Instead of trying to answer all of the arguments against Jesus, he lived with Jesus before others. If our faith does not impinge and change our day to day, practical life, then it is not biblically informed faith. Faith in the Bible is always framed in “believe and do,” not just assent to or think about.
Lord, today make my faith practical. Help others around me to see You in my stability, peace of soul and calmness of thought about everything. Help them see Jesus living in and through me.
A Christ-follower and mentor of leaders and churches whose life plan is to make an eternal difference in lives for Jesus Christ. Carl currently serves as the Executive Pastor of Cross Roads Brethren in Christ Church (Mount Joy, PA), President of Carl Shank Consulting, and as a Board Member of the Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce. B. S. in Mathematics from Dickinson College. M. Div. and Th. M. from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia Campus). Carl’s insights have been a great encouragement to Thomas B. Grosh IV, Associate Director, Emerging Scholars Network. To God be the glory!
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