Author Guest Post:
A
Biblical Definition of Wisdom
As
a Christian parent I must admit I didn’t give much thought to wisdom while
raising my son. However, seven years ago I began writing what was intended to
be a little book about wisdom. The first task was to define wisdom and that
eventually led to the creation of A Nation Under Judgment.
How do you define wisdom? For some it’s measured by a
person’s level of knowledge and learning
or by one’s level of education.
Dictionaries define wisdom as philosophic and scientific learning. Other
definitions of wisdom include sound judgment, good insight, or common sense.
Native Americans believe wisdom is earned only after living a long life that
brings learning and experience.
These definitions have merit, but they fall short of a
biblical definition of wisdom. Biblical wisdom can be defined as the ability to see things from God’s point
of view. As Christians, our wisdom grows when we understand and accept
God’s point of view. The same is true of nations; they show wisdom when they
align their policies with God’s view.
Without wisdom people can find themselves in trouble and
countries risk disaster. The further a nation strays from God’s point of view,
the closer it comes to being a nation under judgment.
We live in a nation that prides itself on being “one
nation under God.” We ask for God’s blessing in songs like “God Bless America”
by Irving Berlin. Our Supreme Court opens every session with “God save the
United States and this Honorable Court.” The president and other politicians
pandering for our votes give speeches that end with “God bless America.”
But what does it mean to be “one nation under God?” Have
the words become merely a patriotic slogan? Do they have value only in times of
national crises, when we feel threatened? Are we a nation asking for God’s protection
and blessings while turning away from His point of view?
As a nation “under God” do we see things from God’s point
of view when shaping national policies? Or have we lost our wisdom as a nation?
When we create polices on hunger,
homelessness, poverty, protecting the environment and marriage, are we
following God’s point of view - or a political agenda? What does it say about
our values when one of every fifty children lacks sufficient food, in a nation
that wastes 40 percent of its food? These are important questions that must be
asked if we value being a nation “under God” because the answers may point to a
nation moving away from God’s point of view and losing its wisdom.
Our Founding Fathers knew that we could not indefinitely
exist apart from God’s point of view. George Mason warned that providence would
punish national sins with national calamities. Thomas Jefferson said “I tremble
for my country when I reflect that God is just and that his justice cannot
sleep forever.” These great men understood that our nation’s future rests on
its commitment to live by the words “one nation under God” and that we must
create national polices that reflect His point of view rather than policies
that conform to a political agenda.
Have we lost our wisdom as a nation – our ability to see
things from God’s point of view? Ultimately the answer to that question will
determine if we are headed toward being a nation under judgment.
What does it mean to
be One Nation Under God? Our Founding Fathers believed it was more than a
political slogan. Have we strayed from their vision? A Nation Under Judgment
focuses on issues currently facing our nation including hunger, poverty, the
environment and marriage. These and other issues are reviewed from both a
Scriptural point of view and a social policy point of view. Readers are
empowered to consider whether our nation is moving away from being One Nation
Under God.
Review:
A dynamic look at what is means to truly be "One Nation Under God." This is a good book to read if you want to really dig deep into the morals our country was founded upon and think through today's world view and what it means in relation to our Christian point of view.
Richard Capriola spent many years serving as a hospital chaplain. He
completed four years of Clinical Pastoral Education in preparation for his
chaplaincy work. In addition to his pastoral care experience, he has served as
a mental health counselor at both a regional crisis center and a psychiatric
hospital.
Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.
