Wisdom in the Heart Starts in the Mind

 

The following quote is by J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom, writing in their book, Guard Us, Guide Us:

“Wisdom in the heart starts in the mind and is thus about thinking and about learning and also about unlearning. One mark of a wise person, according to Proverbs, is that one is willing to accept instruction and correction and to learn to know things better than one does at the moment. The life of wisdom is a life of constant learning: constant evaluating, constant discerning, constant extension of one’s understanding. When David declares that his covenant-God leads and guides him along the right paths (Ps. 23:3), he means that God does this by getting him to think, and through thinking to understand, and through understanding to gain wisdom—and thus to discern the right path from wrong ones.”

The Misuse of Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!” Matthew 7:1-5

I always find it ironic when people who have no interest in or regard for the Bible use it to deflect judgment directed at them by retaliating with, “The Bible says you shouldn’t judge!” (obviously, if they read the Bible at all, they didn’t get past Matthew 7:1a). 

They almost never say “we shouldn’t judge,” and their self-righteous stance towards judging goes right out the window the minute they themselves want to judge someone—which they do with frequent abandon. 

We live in a highly judgmental age, in spite of the fact that most people claim to not be judgmental, and would vow that being judgmental shows a lack of moral character!

One can’t go on Facebook, talk to a family member on the telephone, watch the news or engage with any media—social or otherwise—without being confronted by, or instigating themselves, a judgmental attitude or discussion. 

Jay E. Adams, in his book, Competent to Counsel, briefly and succinctly delineates what is true judgement, and what is mere opinionated criticism:

“…the Scriptures specifically command believers to make judgments (John 7:24).” The Matthew passage “only condemns illegitimate judging. Christ assumed that Christians would find it necessary to judge others, and in Matthew 7 was therefore specifically directing them how to do so. The passage in question condemns judging in a hasty manner, without evidence. Judging others before straightening up one’s own life is also forbidden. Judging intended to denounce another in order to raise one’s own ego is condemned.”

So Christian or no, I think we all would agree with the above statement. 

And I think we all would also have to be living with our heads in the sand if we said that nobody, including ourselves, ever made judgements, be they objectively logical or self-servingly hostile and shallow. 

One of the most common retorts to being critiqued, be it fairly or otherwise, is, 

“Well, who are you to judge?” 

Everyone knows that that reaction is simply a person’s inability to take constructive criticism, or, if the judgment is unwarranted, shows their lack of maturity to deflect someone else’s petty insecurities. 

To say we never judge, or that we never ought to judge—whether it is regarding an artist, chef, teacher, school board member, politician, etc., is false, plain and simple. 

Anyone who wants to turn “judgment” into a bad word will most likely only condemn its use when it applies negatively—in their view—to them. But they will have no problem shouting their judgments from the rooftop, sending them out to land upon everyone else.

Copyright Barb Harwood

 

I Didn't Know What to Do

 

I was talking the other day with someone regarding regret over how I handled a past lack of perspective—years ago—that I had had on an issue. As I was unpacking my thoughts out loud, I finally just said, 

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to think.”

How good this felt to finally admit this!

How good to stop beating around the bush and just state what was true: that, at the time, I didn’t know what to do or how to think about the matter at hand. I also didn’t have anyone who could help me navigate my thinking, because everybody around me held very distinct absolutes and opinions on the topic; nobody seemed, like me, to be flummoxed. 

So at the time, I let others run with what they believed, and I tried to stay out of it, with not a lot of success.

I can only describe this as floundering, this not knowing what to do or to think. We all go through it at one time or another (I would hope, as nobody, ever, always has all of the answers). 

But instead of acknowledging to others that we honestly do not know what to do or to think, either out of embarrassment, peer and political pressure, or feeling stupid, we quietly go along with the group and mouth—or imply—stances we aren’t sure we believe. 

How sad that I could not at least admit that I didn’t know where I stood—not to cause others to then doubt their conclusions, but simply to be authentic, with nothing to hide. Some call this sort of transparency being vulnerable, but I call it being pure. And I didn’t have the maturity back then to live this purity and simply assert:

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to think.”

Only by God’s grace in winnowing timidity, fear of being criticized, and submission to prideful powers did I finally, a few days ago, gain closure from my past hesitancy in, and weak retreating from, dominating circumstances and people. It came in the verbal confession:

“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to think.” 

Going forward, when encountering similar circumstances and people, I hope I put into practice what I have learned—letting God’s chips fall where they may—and in complete, Godly freedom, void of human duplicity, openly remark: 

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to think.” 

“Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” Philippians 3:15-16 

Copyright Barb Harwood