Read
9With wisdom you will learn
what is right
and honest and fair.
10Wisdom will control your mind,
and you will be pleased
with knowledge.
11Sound judgment and good sense
will watch over you.
Reflect
There is something intrinsic in little kids that is attracted to fairness and equity. You cut three pieces of cake for three children, and they will have an eye on the line to make sure you made them all the same size. “That’s not fair!” is a cry that naturally rises up out of the human heart. The problem is, that when I say I want something to be fair, I usually mean for me. We can often see when something isn’t fair for ourselves, but less so when we are not being fair to others. Wisdom teaches us real rightness, fairness, and honesty.
Interestingly, our passage says, “Wisdom will control your mind” as if it’s a good thing. Usually when we think of “mind control” we thing of evil forces taking us over and making us do things we don’t want to do. In this context, the idea is more that Wisdom will help us overcome our own biases, oversights, and sinful habits so we can actually become more of our true selves.
When our mind is taken over by Wisdom we find pleasure. The knowledge attained makes us happy and gives us joy. As we learn what is really right, really true, and really fair, our whole perspective and worldview changes. We start to make good decisions more naturally, it becomes a habit to have correct judgment. In giving over our hearts and minds to the wisdom we find in God’s Word we become more fully human – living as we were intended to at Creation. The good news is, that the more you read the truth of Scripture and the more you put it into practice, the more it just becomes a natural part of you, and the more fair, right and just you become just by habit.
Respond
Wise Maker of heaven and earth, you are Justice itself, wholly fair and righteous in all our actions. Please come into our hearts and take control of our minds so that we can learn what is truly fair and equitable and help bring it to life in our world. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Cyril Guerette
Dr. Cyril Guerette is Lead Pastor of ForestView Church Without Walls in Oakville, ON. He also served for 10 years as a pastor in downtown Toronto. He holds a PhD (University of St. Michael’s College) and M.Phil (University of Cambridge) and serves as Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology at Heritage College & Seminary. Cyril enjoys writing, taking walks, making hiphop music, playing with his children, and admiring the mixed-media photographic artwork of his wife, Maegan. Publications: Guerette, Cyril. Poetic/Dialectic: The Confluence of Poetry and Philosophy in St. Anselm’s Theology. Portland, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2017 (Forthcoming). Guerette, Cyril. “The Pastor as Poet”, in For Christ and His Church. Edited by Rick Reed. Kitchener-Waterloo, ON: Joshua Press, 2015. Guerette, Cyril. “An Appeal to Zeal”, in Letters to a Future Church: Words of Encouragement and Prophetic Appeals. Edited by Chris Lewis. Downer’s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2012.