Proverbs 1:7

I have been studying humility for a few months which has been terribly awesome! You know when you ask God for humility, or patience, or a loving heart and then things become difficult? He gives us an opportunity to be humble, an opportunity to be patient, an opportunity to show someone love... and boy, does He know what buttons to push! He gives us the opportunity, we fail, He picks us up, dusts us off and sends us out again.
Since i find myself in this situation often, i thought to myself, self if this is so hard then why the heck do you keep asking?! I guess i would rather have it hard and be more like my Lord than to have it easy and be more like me. I'm pretty sure i am not masochistic, so there really isn't any other explanation.

Whenever i ask of God, i always think of King Solomon. In 1 Kings chapter 3, God offers King Solomon, "Ask what I shall give thee," and Solomon asked for, "an understanding mind... that I may discern between good and evil" (vv. 5, 9). In remembering this, after i have asked i ask above all for wisdom. And what is wisdom?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7

In a day when we are trying to see how much we can get away with with the least effort, the kind of knowledge that honors God demands discipline and wisdom. Discipline takes effort and, at times, pain. Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge in a certain situation. When we know that God will ultimately judge all of His creation for how we use the resources that He provides for us, we have the fear of the Lord. That proper reverence is what causes us to tell the truth when no one cares, to act honorably when no one sees. This is the beginning of knowledge (emphasis added).

Today’s commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org