Introduction
Wisdom is often linked to things like knowledge or teaching. We often think of a wise person as someone lecturing at a university. Perhaps wisdom conjures up images of someone with a big stack of books and a pipe sitting by a fireplace. We sometimes think wise people are those with advanced degrees, like doctors or lawyers. While education and knowledge are very important and should be sought after, wisdom is not exclusively the retention of information. Biblical wisdom includes not only knowledge but also experience and time. Today, Paul leans into wisdom that is rooted in experience. This experience is about doing the right things to grow in godliness.
Today’s Scripture
Ephesians 5:15-20 (New Living Translation)
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Explanation and Reflection
This text contains the final general instructions about Christian wisdom before Paul begins to discuss specific commands for subgroups within the church. Spiritual wisdom is the result of many factors coming together.
- Be Spiritually Opportunistic
Paul says, “Make the most of every opportunity.” Following God gives us many opportunities to do as Jesus did. Do we have “eyes to see and ears to hear” (Matthew 13:16) the spiritual opportunities before us? Be hungry for spiritual opportunities every day at home, church, work, and school. Wise people have an insatiable appetite to grow. - Be Thoughtful
Paul warns us not to be thoughtless. A thoughtful disciple of Jesus always asks, “What can I do right now that would delight God the most?” Wise people know they need to retrain their thinking toward God’s glory. - Be Filled with the Spirit
We need to take a moment to talk about alcohol in the church at this time because Paul discusses drunkenness here. Before the 1990s, many Bible-believing evangelical churches were “dry churches.” This meant they taught the prohibition of alcohol. In many contexts, this wasn’t healthy because the Bible does permit believers to drink, and this prohibition was sometimes weaponized as a tool for judging others. Today, the pendulum has swung in the other direction. The Bible’s warnings about alcohol and getting drunk are sometimes joked about or entirely ignored in the church. I don’t think we can tell you to drink or not to drink. However, we can say this about alcohol: First, don’t get drunk. The Bible clearly states that it is wrong. Second, be self-controlled. If any drinking leads to even a hint of addiction, avoid drinking at all costs. No substance should be your master. Third, be careful about your witness. How you represent Christ to believers and nonbelievers when you drink matters. Don’t let your freedoms with drinking be a stumbling block to others (Romans 14:13-23).
Now, let's move on to the more positive affirmation part of the text. Instead of drunkenness, Paul tells us to be “filled with the Holy Spirit.” In Acts 2:13, the believers are accused of being drunk by people outside of the church because of what was happening at Pentecost. They were “drunk on Jesus.” Are you so filled with the Spirit that you are intoxicated with Christ? Does the Spirit bring you to laughter, joy, and hope at the thought of the gift you have in Christ? Don’t “get liquored up.” Let your euphoria be rooted in the joy of the Lord that comes from an abundance of the Spirit. - Be Thankful
Thankfulness is a mark of a truly wise person. Wise people are grounded in God’s truths. Those truths include God’s unrelenting love, Jesus’ forgiveness, our future hope in heaven, the beauty of God’s creation, and many other incredible blessings from the Lord. Wise people know that God is good, so they should be grateful.
Question of the Day
Here's a question for you to think about and apply:
If Biblical wisdom involves thankfulness because of truth, what five things are you grateful for today? Consider writing those five things down.