Chaplains’ Chat
We all want to make good decisions in life. Whether it’s about what subjects to choose next year, what sport to sign up for, which job opportunity to take, or how to handle that relational conflict, we all want to make good decisions in life. This is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom is being able to make good decisions and using your experience and knowledge to live well, but being wise isn’t the same as being smart. They say intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad! Intelligence can show us our options, but wisdom is choosing the right one.
The book of Proverbs in the Bible is all about wisdom for life and is full of sayings delivered from a father to his son about how to be wise. This week in Chapel, I shared a favourite verse of mine from Proverbs that says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
This passage calls upon us to turn to God for wisdom and not rely exclusively on our own knowledge. It’s so easy for us to think that we have all the answers and that everyone else is too foolish to see what we see so clearly! But wisdom is knowing that we don’t have all the answers. Making the best decision in life relies on a lot more than just what you want. A wise decision considers how your choice will impact others, where it may lead you in the future, and how it will shape your character. When we trust in God, we are also called to not rely entirely on ourselves and recognise that our understanding only goes so far. Rather, we trust in the one who knows all.
This proverb reminds us that wisdom comes from God and that submitting to Him leads to a fulfilling life that is not confined to our immediate circumstances. We may not know what the future holds, and often, we need to make wise decisions based on limited information. But if we trust in God, we know that he works all things for the good of those who love him.
Mr John Sheldon
Chaplain (Acting)