Would you like to improve the quality of your life? Here’s how: Make better decisions!
The way to make better decisions is by becoming a wiser person. Look at what the Bible says about this:
“Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” — Proverbs 4:7
God tells us that wisdom is an important quality. Our highest and best life resources should be invested in getting it.
Wisdom comes to people who look for it. It is all around us, waiting to be recognized, discovered and put to work. Our task is to know where to look and how to identify it. We have to raise our WQ.
How can we increase our WQ — our “Wisdom Quotient?”
Let’s take a look at the most common places and ways to find wisdom:
- Look at God’s laws and commands.
God’s laws and commands are pure wisdom for us. Knowing and obeying them makes us wise. We do not have to understand them to benefit from their wisdom.
For example, parents command their young children to avoid dangerous heights well before the child understands the law of gravity. The child is wise to obey, even when the command makes no sense to him.
When we know and obey God’s laws and commands we are living wisely. Simple obedience, with or without understanding the “why” is a good decision that improves the quality of our life.
- Look at God’s principles.
Imbedded in every law and command of God are principles. For example, God says, “You shall not kill.” While God most certainly is forbidding murder, He is teaching us much more. In this law God reveals to us something about Himself — He is a lover and protector of life. The principle undergirding this law is the value of life.
Suddenly this law comes alive in a whole new way. We realize that “killing” is not isolated to murder. By gossip we can “kill” someone’s reputation. By anger we can demean, demoralize and destroy someone’s spirit. The law is all about the life principle.
Discovering and applying God’s principles leads to wise actions and right decisions. How much better our lives would be if we lived by principles.
- Look at the past.
While it is useless and counter-productive to live in the glories of the past or wallow in our regrets from the past, it is wise to learn from the past. The past is a rich textbook of wisdom to those willing to productively and positively mine it’s gold.
What valuable lessons lie in the vault of your past waiting to instruct you in some present situation?
- Look at people.
All around us are people with lessons to teach. Some are wise, many are foolish, but both are rich with guidance for us. When we learn from someone else’s success, we benefit. When we learn from someone else’s mistakes and failures, we benefit. Either way we are saved from much heartache, pain and time-consuming life detours.
The Bible is filled with stories of people, all ready to instruct us. The local library or bookstore have shelves stocked and stacked with biographies and autobiographies revealing invaluable life lessons. In your family, at church, at work and in your neighborhood wisdom is waiting for those who will look and learn from people.
Do you want to improve your life? Grow you WQ. Better decisions always lead to a better life!
Pastor Dale
