Looking Up

"Be not wise in your own eyes;"

Proverbs 3:7a

"Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, 

and the one who gets understanding."

Proverbs 3:13

I'm going to make a rather weak comparison today of man's wisdom vs. God's wisdom.  One of my favorite things to do is to lie down on the grass or in a hammock and look up into the trees.  We have some large oak trees in our backyard, and when I do this I get a brand new perspective on trees.  Oh, the same things exist there--leaves, branches, nests, birds, insects, etc.  But  looking straight at the tree hides so much, and somehow everything take on a whole different aura; I have a greater appreciation of all that I see.  I learn more about the tree and its inhabitants.

Instead of merely a trunk with leaves on it, I see through the tree into the sky above, delineating the beauty of the branches that hold the individual leaves.  I see the variation in hues and shades, the wonderful shapes of the leaves and both the large and very minute, complicated branches that weave in and out of the blue above them.  I see delicate-looking  but sometimes dangerous creatures crawling on the branches.  I see intricately made nests composed of grasses and small twigs and pieces of cloth and string and even paper.  I see Mama bird and Papa bird flying feverishly back and forth to satisfy the voracious hunger of Baby birds.  I see bushy tailed squirrels nervously seeking for mischief of some kind, scampering along the branches as though there were no tomorrow.  I see happiness and joy.  I see the hand of the Creator.

Being wise in our own eyes reminds me somewhat of merely looking at that tree trunk with leaves on it.  Our understanding is flawed in that we never see the whole picture.  From our perspective, life is lived looking straight ahead, trying to see everything yet completely unable.  Therefore, we make the mistake of having incomplete vision.  We will never be able to consistently make the right choices.  We only see with limited vision.  Our perception is cut short.

Wisdom is only gained by looking up.  What a difference in our understanding of life when we look to the Only Wise God! The details that were so missing begin to come to light as we seek His wisdom, as we look up and begin to grasp with perception the things of God.  As we look up we see heaven between the leaves and branches of the world's system, in contrast to looking outward where everything beyond the leaves are crowded out and difficult to see.  I believe that a part of the blessedness (happiness) and joy of having wisdom is realizing that there is blue just beyond the leaves.  Heaven awaits those who trust Him.

Looking up,

Gloria