The Distraction

I have a particular fondness for YouTube.  I've paid the extra fee to remove the ads, and I rarely watch television.  Instead, I watch YouTube videos.  Once in a while, I watch movies with my kids, but I really love my YouTube channels.

There's some really wonderful Christian channels on YouTube that bring me a lot of peace.  There's quilting channels, crafting channels, travel channels.  There's always new content. But, there's also channels that mostly focus on gossip.  I have to admit, I can get distracted by some of those channels.  Particularly if they involve the royals.  I have no idea why I care.  But, perhaps my mind really loves the distraction after a long day.  I can click on video after video about the royal family, and before long, I've wasted several hours.

Sometimes I get completely carried away. 

The past few nights, I've watched so many royal videos that I've missed my Five Steps.  I also stopped writing on those days, which is something that's very good for me.  Instead, I was engrossed in the lives of people who live far from me, whom I will never meet.  I told myself that I deserved it, I was exhausted, and I just needed a few nights off to relax and not think.

A few days later brought the results.  My Saturday mornings are normally blissful, but I woke up very stressed.  I am worried about work, how people have treated me, what people think of me, and the things I need to get done this weekend.  I'm also worried about the royals and how the queen is going to handle all of these challenges.  Its funny, I know.  But, my peace is gone.  All because of my own lack of discipline and inability to keep things in moderation.

You know, the flesh loves distraction instead of healing.  I'm pretty sure the Bible says fools feed on trash.

Proverbs 15:14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

Yep, I thought that was in there.  

We reap what we sow, and I know myself well enough to know that I can't go that long without doing things that keep my mental health in check.  So, I am back before the Lord, repenting, and neck deep in my Bible.

Given these things, it shouldn't have surprised me that our church sermon this week was on wisdom.  God is always faithful, and He doesn't hesitate to give me some pretty strong guidance when I need it. 

What does it mean to be wise? Is it possible to seek wisdom?  

It certainly is.  Seeking wisdom means I am growing in the knowledge, understanding, discernment, and experience of the truth and grace of God.  It is a lifelong process.  I've always wanted to seek as much wisdom as God is willing to grant me.  I am pretty fascinated with Solomon, and his wisdom in the Bible.  When wisdom is in full force in your life, it is also shared with those around you, as it was for Solomon.  The wise display love and humility in their lives.  They reflect truth, and if necessary, they change their lives and listen to correction so they reflect truth.

Proverbs 15:31 If you listen to correction to improve your life, you will live among the wise.

By contrasts, the Bible also talks about fools.  

The foolish person changes the truth so they don't have to change.  They want to stay the same, and they don't listen to anyone who speaks truth into their life.  I've certainly had my moments in this category.  The foolish display strife and conflict in their lives as a result of their refusal to change and seek truth.  People who continuously live foolish lives require you to place boundaries.  

There's also another category.  There's evil.  

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

The evil destroy the truth.  They live outside of it completely.  They go out of their way to battle truth, and they focus their lives on hurting others.  They display deception and abuse.  Evil people don't require boundaries - they require complete removal from your life.  You must flee and protect yourself from those who not only reject wisdom of the Lord, but come against it.

Knowing this, it is important to pursue a daily direction that leads to a wise destination.  Wisdom is a gift, and when we seek it, we get to open the gift God has given us.  Whatever we seek with our hearts, we will find.

We will not become wise overnight.  Wisdom is developed over time.  Being an expert requires experience, after all.  But, God loves to share his wisdom when we go to Him and ask.  We must open our lives to be influenced by the wisdom of God, not the world.  We can follow it like a map when we're truly committed.  

A wise person is always aligning to the truth, enjoying like a prized possession, being protected by it.  How can we align our lives to God's truth?  How can we seek wisdom on a daily basis?  How can we stop from bouncing between these categories?

I'm sitting on the deck this morning, pondering these questions before the heat of the day comes upon us.  There's a slight breeze and the birds are singing.  The lawn is freshly mowed, thanks to my son and my father who worked hard yesterday on it.  I think about how I want today to be a day of seeking wisdom instead of foolishness.  I think about how amazing it is that our creator's wisdom leads to peace, however increase of knowledge of the world leads to torment.

Which will I seek?

I look up a few scriptures, and send a few verses over to my son, who is at his Dad's house today.  I enjoy sharing what I learn with my kids.  He sends me back a large heart emoji.  I put down my phone and relax.  The pursuit of wisdom is quiet and peaceful.  At last, I feel the anxiousness begin to leave, and my Saturday morning begins to feel right again.