The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 7 October 2020 – Public Opinion And Man’s Wisdom
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Topic: Public Opinion And Man’s Wisdom
Read: Ecclesiastes 7:21-29 (NKJV)
- Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
- For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.
- All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; But it [was] far from me.
- As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, Who can find it out?
- I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason [of things,] To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness [and] madness.
- And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart [is] snares and nets, Whose hands [are] fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her.
- ” Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “[Adding] one thing to the other to find out the reason,
- Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found.
- Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.”
THE MESSAGE:
The scripture today reveals two vital things that should help in our walk with God. First, the scripture describes the first as public opinion towards our life. It notes that we cannot see it nor touch it, yet it is a great factor required to shape the character and actions of men, nations, families and organisations. Public opinion can be utterly wrong in most cases. Most times, some of us might do well to pay a little more attention than we do to the tone of thought and feeling around us. If a man sees that his manners and lifestyle are affecting others negatively, that he is a stumbling block to his neighbours, irrespective of how weak some brethren appear; and he goes on thoughtlessly, regardless of what men say or think, he will not be able to free himself from guilt (Exodus 23:2; 1 Samuel 15:24; Deuteronomy 5:28, 29).
Secondly, the scripture talks about the limitation of man’s wisdom; true Wisdom is not easily accessible without a detailed search of the scripture and God’s gift (Proverbs 2:1-6). In 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, Paul challenges his Corinthian brothers and sisters in Christ about their love of human wisdom. He carefully contrasts the wisdom of this world in verses 18-20 with the wisdom of God in verses 21-23. What these Corinthian Christians have done in pretending to be wise by the standards of the world show them to be foolish in the eyes of God. Paul encourages them to stop exalting men, to put an end to divisions, to deny human wisdom and embrace God’s wisdom and the tremendous riches and blessings that God gives.
PRAYER: Lord grant us wisdom from above. Let the flesh retire. Direct us in true love, sincerity and right judgment.
