True Wisdom Begins With God, Not What We Idolize | Devotion

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” —ROMANS 1:22-23

The fingerprints of God are all around us, not only in creation but in our lives. God has revealed Himself in conscience. Inherent in all of us is a natural moral law, a sense of right and wrong that comes from God. A fool regards his own perspective as the only legitimate one, but in seeking God’s perspective, we are seeking wisdom that comes from the mind of God, which can only be revealed by the Spirit of God. 

We all need something to place our trust and belief in. Every city at any time in its history, whether primitive or sophisticated, has evidence of worship. Whether it is a temple, a shrine, mosque, synagogue, church or handmade images, there is always something people will worship. And if these are crushed for whatever reason, then we will create a celebrity culture where athletes, musicians, film stars and political leaders are idolized. This is very much the case in a secular society, because there is always a need to have someone bigger and better to admire and worship.

If what we worship is something other than the one true God, we will be led into a false sense of security. Paul’s charge in the opening verse is not that people do not know about God, but that they fail to acknowledge and follow through with what they do know. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).

G.K. Chesterton said, “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing; they believe in anything.” Those outside of Christ do not follow the clues that creation and conscience have implanted, so they have only a human perspective to fall back on. According to their human perspective, they are wise, when in actual fact they have become fools. Not only have they limited themselves to human capability, but when their backs are against the wall, the temptation to go against their conscience is all the greater, which will inevitably lead to moral bankruptcy. 

In the Bible, wisdom has little to do with intelligence, and foolishness has little to do with lack of intelligence. Both are a disposition, and our disposition or attitude to life has everything to do with what we believe about God. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This is a gift of God and the only reliable source of life and security. While the fool spurns it, the wise will relish it.

Your wisdom is flawless, Lord, and I pray for everyone to recognize that and be drawn to You with open hearts and open minds. Amen. 

Is there something or someone I idolize other than God?