Tis the season to be wise
As we approach the end of the year, we need to embrace wisdom like never before.
Proverbs 1:7 instructs us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but fools despise wisdom and discipline”.
Now is the time to fear the Lord. The message is reiterated in Proverbs 9:10 show us that wisdom, the reverential fear of God and knowledge of the Holy One; go hand in hand.
It is time to read the Book of Proverbs for insight and guidance in wisdom.
Note that King Solomon, the main author of the Book of Proverbs, was the richest man who ever lived. He has told us the importance of getting wisdom, knowledge and understanding. My dear friends; wisdom is a principal thing. It is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.
God wants us to understand simple principles in life and exercise wisdom.
Take the Christmas season for instance. It’s about the Christ who was born to redeem human beings from their sins in order to reconcile mankind to God the father. It’s not only about his birthday, which business and marketing professionals have turned into a means to turn us all into mass consumers to consume all their goods.
They have taken advantage of the joy of Christmas and the glad tidings of what God has given to us through Jesus Christ. The shopping industry has perfected their scheme by using Santa Claus to blind our minds and our hearts and those of our children to manipulate us to shop until we drop. To shop until our credit cards are maxed out and to shop even though we know we cannot afford it.
“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you” these were a father’s instructions to his son in Proverbs 4:5-6… now I urge you to do the same.
Wisdom will preserve you from debt and keep you from falling under this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
Take wisdom as a best friend, she will promote you, she will bring you honor, she will bring you respect. Embrace wisdom and she will place an ornament of grace on your head and a crown of glory, shall she deliver to thee.
Have you ever asked those who sell Christmas trees this time of year, if they believe in Jesus? Most of them don’t even know the story or purpose behind the season that gives them their greatest profit. Many of them do no know that the star that crowns their Christmas tree was to light the way to the baby, born in a manger, who is Emmanuel God with us.
They come around November/December in order to sell their trees to consumers who all want the biggest and best tree in order to put a star or an angel on it; some without recognizing the significance of either one of them.
Consumers want to put presents under the tree but yet most of us are not aware of or don’t tasked the time to acknowledge the greatest gift of all. John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
This is the greatest gift given to all mankind, ever since the very first Christmas, the night that Christ was born.
This season is not about buying and giving gifts, eating, drinking and having a good time. Yes, that may be a part of it, but the season is about Emanuel, a Saviour was born and became human in order to identify with mankind; to give us hope.
Life is not over when you die. There is life after death and when you leave this world, if you refuse to know the Christ of Christmas, you will have your portion in hell; but if you receive Jesus Christ, you will have everlasting life in heaven with him and God the father.
This is the promise and the greatest gift ever given: the gift of Christmas -Emmanuel.
