It’s all about Jesus! In our life’s journey … spiritual, emotional and physical … the core of our being is Jesus. There are so many external influences that claim to be wise and God-like, but in reality, are far from either. There is tremendous spiritual challenge to discern the wise in our world. Who is the most Christ-like?
As I begin this forty-day journey, pondering the reflection questions asked:
How do you know someone is wise?
They have a profound sense of who they are and what their purpose is in the world. They learn from their experiences without threat or fear. They embrace the guidance of the Holy Spirit with their understanding of purpose in the interconnectedness with others.
Who are people you respect for their wisdom?
I’ve been blessed with encountering many wise people. Some of the wisest people have been those who formed me into the person I am today: my mom, my sister, my seminary faculty. I think my mother was very wise. She never judged and she always spoke from her challenges. She loved unconditionally.
Of course, most of us would likely say Pope Francis, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and even Jimmy Carter?
Why does Jesus’s wisdom stand out in human history?
He offered a way without any hidden agenda. He unconditionally loved the rejected. He countered the message of leaders (civil and religious) of the time. The authors summarize it well: “Most would easily agree that he offers great, often unique, insight into living. But while other sages could say through study and discernment that they had found the way, come to recognize truth, or finally figured out life, only Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6, emphasis added).”