BE WISE— HEAR AND APPLY, DON’T BE A FOOL— HEAR AND DON’T APPLY
(Psalm 1— Don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers— Instead… delight and meditate on God’s Word)
BE WISE— HEAR AND APPLY, DON’T BE A FOOL— HEAR AND DON’T APPLY
And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. —I Kings 4:34
A wise person will be sought out for counsel. Many from all over the earth came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. They were impacted by what he had to say. Remember, this wisdom was given to him by God.
Are you a wise person? Jesus told us who the wise would be… and the fool—
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” —Matthew 7:24-27
This is very clear, along with Psalm 1, as to who the wise people will be. It is not the one the knows God’s Word, hears God’s Word or has the knowledge of God’s Word alone. No, the wise ones will be those who know, hear, have the knowledge of AND APPLY GOD’S WORD, DOES GOD’S WORD! The wise person delights in God’s Word, they meditate on God’s Word and they put into practice His Word. Thus, the wise person will be a fruitful person, a blessed person and bring glory to God (John 15:8).
James 1:22-25 tells us the very same thing—
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
The blessing, the fruitfulness, the delighting in, the meditating on, the wisdom— culminate in the glory of God because of faithful obedience of the follower of Jesus, the disciple of Jesus (John 14:21-24). The fool, on the other hand, is one who “merely listen to the word, and so deceives” themselves. They come, they hear, they go away, the immediately forget and do not apply to life what they have heard…
So… are you and I wise or fools? How we apply or don’t apply the Word of God we “hear” or read answers that question. Is there something God is saying to you that you are not doing, but know you should? The wise person will do it! So, Dear Father, however You speak to us, may we be faithful to apply what You say to us. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and the authority of Your Son Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8cJQMU9Q-U