2 Samuel 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

I know where this is going.

Ever used those words? Ever heard a friend say these words? Did the knowledge of the outcome stop the events once the thoughts were put into motion?

I’ve been thinking about thoughts lately. Thoughts are dangerous, they are born in the imagination and rarely reflect reality. Thoughts do not turn out illusions of bad endings. Thoughts always seem to make things possible and pleasant. We never have ugly thoughts, that’s for nightmares.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The key here is to think on things that exist and not the imagined.

Jesus is true.

Jesus is honest.

Jesus is pure.

Jesus is lovely.

Jesus has a good report is virtuous and worthy of all praise.

I will tell you this, if you think on Jesus your thoughts will not have an unhappy ending.

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Reading this sounds like a description of the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth and can there be anything more wise than truth? Maybe not, but truth and wisdom are not the same thing, now are they?

Looking closer to wisdom here, I see action and result. I know truth but I do not always handle it well. It seems that wisdom is about taking action and producing righteous results. I try and speak truth in love and find that it does not always produce a righteous outcome.

Most of the time where I go wrong is treating others as I have been treated. Mercy and grace extended to me, worked on me so it must also work on another. Perhaps, but not everyone is like me, not everyone needs to be entreated the same way every time. I look back to well-intentioned people who wanted to help but fell short of the mark. Not that their heart wasn’t in the right place but because what helped them didn’t help me. I was in a different place with different problems.

The wisdom which comes from about is much like the Spirit of Truth, it knows what to do in the moment to produce right results. Obedience of faith is doing what we are called to do and not doing what we know how to do or feel comfortable doing.

These things cannot be accomplished without a deeper personal relationship with God. He entrusts His will to those who have proven themselves faithful to Himself. Jesus proved that by spending many quiet hours alone in communion with the Father.

Matthew 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

How much time do we spend watching with Jesus before our eyes become heavy?