Get Smart
His television screen name was “Maxwell Smart,” also known as Agent 86. His female sidekick was Agent 99. They comedically portrayed spies working for the government agency “CONTROL” fighting the evil, enemy forces of “KAOS.” The bumbling agent “Smart” employed a variety of unusual espionage devices in his efforts, most famously, a phone in his shoe he regularly used to answer calls from his boss, “The Chief.” The show aired for 5 seasons (1965-1970). The title—“Get Smart,”—is obviously a play on words.
“Smart” is an interesting word. We use it in a lot of ways. We describe people as smart thinkers, smart students, smart shoppers, smart investors, and yes, even smart-alecks!
The Bible actually talks about “smarts.” It uses terms such as “wisdom, knowledge, good judgment, and understanding” to describe smart people. Over and over again, we’re encouraged to get these qualities.
Here’s one example:
“Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you.” —Proverbs 4:7-8 (NLT)
Biblical “smartness” is something we have to learn. There are a variety of ways to get smarter, but perhaps the most common path to greater wisdom is by learning from our mistakes.
We all make mistakes. While failure is common, learning from one’s mistakes isn’t. Lots of people get stuck in the shame of failure and succumb to haunting condemnation, guilt, and defeat. Many of us allow our worst moments to become our life-defining moments. When this happens, the devil seizes the opportunity to insert his hateful, debasing, discouraging lies of hopelessness and despair into our minds. Instead of acknowledging our foolishness and moving forward in God’s grace and forgiveness, we allow the enemy of our souls to label us as “fools.” We become disabled by our mistakes rather than smarter through them.
Here’s a reminder for you. Never let your worst life moments define the rest of your life. When you make a mistake, run to God, not away from Him. Learn the lessons you need to learn, get forgiven, get smart, get up, and get going again!
Never forget these words from God:
“But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.” —1 John 1:9 (TLB)
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” —Romans 8:1 (NLT)
It’s time to Get Smart!
Pastor Dale
Tweet