Day 155, Year 1

Walk in Wisdom toward Outsiders

“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4:5 NKJV)

The New Testament does not mention wisdom as frequently as the Old Testament, but this does not mean wisdom is of little value. In my understanding, some authors of the New Testament assume readers to be familiar with the meaning of wisdom in the Old Testament, including the wisdom for salvation mentioned yesterday. Looking back at the previous devotionals, starting with choosing life, the focus of the Christian faith has been on fashioning and reaffirming the right attitude and values for life. This is because if our mindsets are not changed according to God’s truth, there will be limited progress in faith, no matter how many scriptures we have read.

Human life on earth is measured by the time we live, and “redeeming the time” is a way to cherish our lives. “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside” does not mean we should become hypocritical. We rather need to interact with nonbelievers with God’s wisdom. For instance, honesty needs to be shared with those who have not believed in the Lord yet. If someone is dishonest, how much time would you have to spend discussing various topics with them before getting an honest response? In contrast, as today’s verse states, believers should redeem the time. When conversing with dishonest people, the most important thing is to quickly address the issue of their honesty or lack thereof. Without honesty, it is difficult for us to build genuine and lasting friendships, let alone talk about faith with them. Facing those who are stubbornly dishonest, to distance ourselves from them is the wisest use of time.

Another example is that if a person is not upright, regardless of how much truth they hear, it would be distorted. Would someone like this in a church not bring destruction? It hardly does not happens. Besides, I think that the “outsiders” mentioned in today’s verse refer not only to nonbelievers, but also to those within the church who intentionally or unintentionally cause destruction. To put it simply, we should interact with others with wisdom, including those within the church. This includes that when we point out other people’s problems at the right time, we urge them to cease harming themselves and others. Lastly, for those zealously pursuing faith, God’s wisdom can help us establish a correct attitude—to choose divine life, righteousness, forsake foolishness, and embrace knowledge and understanding. Then we can live our lives amazingly every day.

Reflection questions:

1) Were the words of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge you learned in the previous days helping you interact with outsiders better? Why?

2) Have you faced any difficulties in helping others establish the right perspective or values of life? If so, how would you overcome them by relying on the Lord?