“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”- Colossians 2:2-3
John Ortberg concludes Chapter 5 of All the Places to Go with the eighth way God’s wisdom can lead us to, and help us through, open doors we encounter.
8. The ultimate door. Pastor Ortberg writes that Biblical wisdom literature recognizes that wise human decisions have limits. In the Bible wisdom is much more than life management.
The apostle Paul uses images in Colossians 2:2-3 that describe wisdom in the Old Testament. Paul then applies these images to Jesus. Wisdom has come down to earth. At Jesus’ time, the Israelites knew their problem was Rome. According to their limited human thinking, they had three options:
1. Door #1- overthrow the Romans in hatred (Zealots)
2. Door #2-withdraw in contempt (Essenes)
3. Door #3- collaborate with the Romans (Sadducees)
Jesus saw an alternative, sacrificial love and resurrection power- the ultimate door, as John describes:
“Wisdom, thank God, is far more than common sense and practical advice and navigating life safely and well. Wisdom bets it all on God, dies on a cross, and gets resurrected on the third day. Wisdom is alive today and can walk with me through the doors I face.”
Today’s question: How have you grown in wisdom following your vocation loss? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Crossing a threshold”
