Behaving Wisely In All Your Ways

We continue our look at David behaving wisely with I Samuel 18:14-

“And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.

Even after David was rewarded by Saul and had gained his new position of leadership that provided plenty of opportunity for fame, fortune and power, David continued to behave wisely.  Not only did he behave wisely, but he behaved wisely in all his ways.  He didn’t just behave wisely in front of the King or his men, but in all his ways.  This meant that no matter where David was at or what he was doing that he behaved wisely.  He didn’t have moments where he acted like the court jester/fool and behave unwisely.  It wasn’t his circumstances or the people around him that was influencing him to behave wisely.  It was his relationship with the Lord.  David had integrity.  As a result of his decision to behave wisely in all his ways, he was rewarded in even a better way than King Saul had rewarded him.  He was rewarded with the Lord being with him.

What a blessing to know that the Lord would be with you.  We can gain great instruction from David’s example.  Behave wisely in all our ways and be blessed with the Lord being with you.

Wisdom Not To Speak

On Newsweek’s website (http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/11/29/from-tony-hayward-to-mark-zuckerberg-ceos-who-say-too-much.html ) they have an article about public figures not knowing when they have said too much.  Here is one example:

“Oil was spewing into the ocean and floating toward fragile wetlands and out-of-work fishermen sat idle on the Gulf Coast while BP was trying, but failing, to stop the spill. Then Tony Hayward, the company’s CEO, tried to downplay the significance of the disaster, saying, “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.” It turns out calling the largest accidental oil spill in history “tiny” was not the best choice of words. Nor was his later comment that he would “like his life back.” Hayward no longer has the CEO job, but he does have a $930,000 annual pension.”

Sometimes as humans we think we are smarter and wiser than we are.  We think we know it all or that we are indestructible.  We tend to speak before we really think through things.  We think we can predict the future.  So we end up saying a lot of unwise or stupid things.  In Job 18 a lot of talking took place between Job and his “close” friends.  At one point in their discussion one of the friends says to Job in chapter 18 verses 1 -3

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 2 How long until you stop talking? Show some sense, and then we can talk. 3 Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight?”

Sometimes we just need to use some common sense and know when to stop speaking or not to even open our mouths.  We need to have wisdom to know when not to speak.  Only that come from spending time with God.  James 1:19 states,

“My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,”

Proverbs 29: 20 says,

“Do you see a man who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Spend more time in God’s Word, spend more time praying and listening to God, spend more time with wise fellows Christians and you will gain common sense or wisdom to know when to not speak.