• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

DONATE
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Our Bloggers
    • Commenting Policy
  • Reading Lists
  • Scholar’s Compass
    • Scholar’s Compass Booklet
    • View Recent Posts
  • Connect
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Donate
    • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Christ / Christ and the Academy / Devotions: Wisdom – Applicability

Devotions: Wisdom – Applicability

April 6, 2014 by Carl Shank No Comments

“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.

Janitor

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.

About the author:

Carl Shank
Website | Posts

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!

    This author does not have any more posts.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Christ and the Academy, Wisdom Tagged With: Faculty, janitor, professor, wisdom

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Become a Member

Membership is Free. Sign up and receive our monthly newsletter and access ESN member benefits.

Join ESN Today

Scholar’s Compass Booklet

Scholar's Compass Booklet

Click here to get your copy

Top Posts

  • Oscars Film Reflection Series: Parasite
  • The Message of Genesis 1
  • Writing a Christian Personal Statement
  • Teaching for Integration: Faith & Your Field in the Classroom
  • Christian Views of Creation

Facebook Posts

Facebook Posts

Footer

About Us

The Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) is a national network within InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries which supports those on the academic pathway as they work out how their academic vocation serves God and others. We encourage and equip undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty as they navigate each stage of their academic vocation and transition to the next step in or beyond the academy.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Recent Posts

  • Forgiveness
  • Confession
  • Temptation: The Little Lie

Article Categories

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us
Member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
Copyright © 2023 - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA ®. All rights reserved.

InterVarsity, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, and the InterVarsity logo are trademarks of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and its affiliated companies.