…determines how wisely we live life. Our relationship with God gives us a different perspective on life. We know what matters. We know what lasts and what passes away, and we choose what lasts eternally. And we bring that perspective to every choice we make – whether or not to be trustworthy, whether or not to plan ahead and work with care, whether or not to show compassion, whether or not to pursue our goals with diligence, whether or not to control our tongues. What we believe about God determines how wisely we live life. The fear or reverent awe of God motivates us to manage our time wisely in the light of eternal values. The fear of the Lord motivates us to use our resources wisely to benefit others. The fear of the Lord helps us evaluate every choice we make each day.
A hundred years ago Ella Wheeler Wilcox published a short poem whose lines are as true today as they were a century ago when she wrote them.
One ship sails East,
And another West,
By the self-same winds that blow,
‘Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
That tells the way we go.
It’s the set of the sail and not the gale. It’s your choices. Men and women, singles and marrieds, learn from Proverbs 31. Choose to live your life wisely, in the light of what lasts forever. if you do you will be characterized by a strong commitment, by trustworthiness, by shrewdness (which is someone intelligent or clever; someone who does not take advantage of other people but who takes advantage of opportunities), by generosity, by diligence, and by a controlled tongue. Even more, you’ll know the difference between what passes and what lasts – and you’ll give yourself to what lasts for eternity. That’s God’s formula for living life with skill. Be wise. Be a person of strength. it’s your choice.
(From The Call of Wisdom, by Alice Mathews and Karen Mason)
