This is part 5 in our 5-part Wisdom In All Things Special Series, unpacking the implications of these two short verses from Paul, as they highlight 5 essential factors for living a life of purpose, wisdom, and impact. “All the watching, all the standing fast, all the bravery, and all the strength the Corinthian Christians might show meant nothing without love. They were called to do all those things in a meek, humble spirit of love.” – David Guzik Letting all that we do be done in love requires a daily commitment to live out the principles of love as God’s Word prescribes, by aligning our thoughts, attitudes, and actions with the love of Christ, allowing His love to flow through us to impact the world around us. Read the transcript for Let All That You Do Be Done in Love Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

You could say that the phrase ‘be strong’ follows ‘act like men’ as a definition and prescription. Let’s have Alexander MacLaren take us back into the mindset of the battle as he elaborates on this connection between the two phrases: “Play a man’s part in the battle; strike with all the force of your muscles. But the Apostle adds, ‘be strong.’ You cannot play a man’s part unless you are. ‘Be strong’—the original would rather bear ‘become strong.’ What is the use of telling men to ‘be strong’? It is a waste of words, in nine cases out of ten, to say to a weak man, ‘Pluck up your courage, and show strength.’   Alexander maclaren MacLaren points out the nuance of our phrase ‘be strong’. You can’t be a man without strength, and you can’t ‘just have’ the kind of strength the Apostle prescribes in this verse. Alexander states that Paul’s use of this phrase is quite uncommon in the New Testament, but that another use of the phrase helps us better understand the nuance. He reveals that we are to be: “Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16). Read the transcript for Be Strong Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

Given the current cultural climate on the subject, some might think it pretty controversial to suggest that we ‘act like men’. After all, if you were to listen to the critics, “Could there be anything good that would come from it?” I can understand the sentiment. But not the reaction. I think it was John Stonestreet who I heard say recently, “The response to bad authority is not, ‘no authority’, it’s good authority.” The context had to do with governmental authority, but it seems like it would apply nicely here as well. While we may have steered away from the path of guiding boys into becoming men, it is all the more important that we return to the path rather than abandon the pursuit of manhood altogether. To put it another way, we should seek ‘true manhood’ rather than ‘no manhood.’ Read the transcript for Stand Firm in the Faith Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

In the sixteenth chapter of Corinthians, you'll find these two verses, tucked in there, seemingly as a random stream of consciousness, part of Paul's closing in his first letter to this church in Corinth: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Standing firm means maintaining allegiance to biblical principles regardless of ridicule, and contending for Scripture not by being dogmatic but by graciously appealing to the doubter’s conscience. As some have said, "God’s truth can take their hits." Read the transcript for Stand Firm in the Faith Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

In the sixteenth chapter of Corinthians, you'll find these two verses, tucked in there, seemingly as a random stream of consciousness, part of Paul's closing in his first letter to this church in Corinth: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Paul doesn't directly identify anything in particular that we are to watch out for, but that we should be in a state of watching. We are to be actively, and continually, watchful.  A person who is exercising "watchfulness" in their lives is someone aware of the world around them and can think critically about what they see and hear.  Here are 3 phases to becoming watchful. Read the transcript for Be Watchful Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson I use this quote from Emerson in jest. It seems to me that this is the prevailing thought about what we are to do with our lives: the reason we are here is to go our own way; to leave our mark. But is that truly why we are here?  Dallas Willard says “The purpose of human life is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Here are some key principles for living a purposeful life. Read the transcript for Living Purposefully Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

King David speaking: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." - Psalm 51:3 We've talked in the past about living an examined life. Doing so can be a little unnerving. When we do that, it is (very) likely that we'll find something that we don't want to see, and, as a result, end up shoving whatever we found right back where we found it. However, to consider "not going there" only means that we delay the inevitable. Here are the practical steps that make up our arsenal in our battle against sin. Read the transcript for Confronting Sin: embrace the battle, be victorious, and live a life pleasing to God Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson Malcolm Gladwell is a popular author and speaker who has written about the importance of practice. In his book Outliers, Gladwell argues that the key to success is not talent, but deliberate practice. Effective practice is the key to long-term skill improvement. These research-backed methods will help you build on the foundation you’ve laid to create the habit of skill development. Read the transcript for Being Better About Being Better Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"Conviction is the driving force that transforms belief into action. It's the unwavering commitment to truth and principle that enables us to navigate the complexities of life with purpose and integrity. Without conviction, our beliefs remain mere ideas, but with it, they become the catalyst for positive change in our lives and the world around us." - D.A. Carson Just as Winston Churchill's convictions inspired a nation, the right convictions can guide us toward a life of purpose, resilience, and fulfillment. Developing a biblical conviction is a profound and spiritually rich part of our journey. It's not just about forming opinions; it's about aligning our beliefs and values with the timeless truths found in the Bible. Read the transcript for Trust in the Truth: The Confidence of Conviction Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“It’s bad enough wasting time without killing it.” – Norton Juster, academic, architect, and writer. He was best known as an author of children's books, particularly popular was The Dot and the Line - A Romance in Lower Mathematics With all that we have to do, it is awfully tempting to do nothing with out discretionary time. Until you realize the implications. Idleness and laziness can actually have serious negative consequences on both our personal well-being and the well-being of those around us. If you're struggling a bit with where to focus, or with discovering how you can better ensure you're 'counting your days', here are some practical ways of evaluating the importance you place on living with purpose. Read the transcript for To Number Our Days, Focus on What Truly Matters Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“The love of money is the root of all evil.” – 1 Timothy 6:10 Probably a familiar verse, but think about the last 4 words: “root of all evil.” If we don’t love money, we can avoid a whole lot of bad. In fact, we could swap out the word ‘money’ for so many things in that verse. “The love of… the couch, Netflix, Peanut Butter M&Ms….” But here, God intentionally–and specifically–identifies the love of money as “the” root problem. I’ve rounded up recommendations on mastering money into a checklist that you can review to see where you might be allowing money to master you. Read the transcript for Mastering Money Before it Masters You Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“Imitate Jesus and Socrates.” - Benjamin Franklin Are you as struck by Franklin's recommendation as I am? Why both? If you're going to include Jesus on any list, there really isn't any need to include anyone else. It was curious to me what Franklin might have been thinking that would lead him to include these two people specifically, and only these two people. Perhaps it was this prompting from a personal friend of Franklin's: "My list of virtues continued at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud, that my pride showed itself frequently in conversation, that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point, but was overbearing and rather insolent, of which he convinced me by mentioning several instances, I determined endeavoring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list, giving an extensive meaning to the word." Humility is "a modest or low view of one's own importance." It may well be that you are important, or the best, but humility moderates a balanced view of how you should view yourself. God opposes the proud just as all others are repulsed by them. Read the transcript for Benjamin Franklin's 13 Virtues - Humility Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"Holiness is not only separation from evil, but separation unto God." - John Stott Holiness has long been a central theme in Christianity, and throughout history, various individuals and groups have emphasized its importance. It is a concept that often evokes various perceptions, from being old-fashioned and rigid to grace-filled and deeply satisfying.  Either way, the pursuit of holiness is, at its core, an endeavor to mirror God's character in our lives. Read the transcript for The Pursuit of Holiness: Building Holy Habits Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." - John Wesley In a world often marred by turmoil and adversity, the call to "not grow weary in doing good" holds profound significance, primarily for Christians. While the call to "not grow weary in doing good" is firmly rooted in Scripture, we need to effectively navigate the challenges and temptations that often lead to weariness in our pursuit of doing good. Here are five keys to helping us persevere in doing good. Read the transcript for Persevere in Doing Good Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"Heaven is not a distant place, but a perfected state of being where we will enjoy unbroken communion with God and one another." — Tim Keller Thinking rightly about heaven is both significant and transformative as it will shape our thoughts, actions, and deepest longings. Embracing an anticipatory mindset about heaven moves us away from it being a theoretical concept to a transformative way of living. Here are ways "heaven then" can transform our lives "here and now." Read the transcript of The Beauty, Significance, and Transformative Power of Heaven Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double... don't worry, be happy..." - Bobby McFerrin He has provided us a catchy way to remember two very important truths about worry: by worrying, we do make things doubly worse, and, that we do have a choice. If you're looking to be happy, you're aiming way too low. Instead, why settle for "being happy" when you can be at peace? Read the transcript of Don't Worry, Be... at peace Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"When we use our spiritual gifts, we are joining in God's mission to reconcile the world to Himself. It is an act of obedience and surrender, allowing God to work through us to bring about His purposes and transformation in the lives of others." - D.A. Carson The idea of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we should, and will be, held responsible for what we have been given. It is reasonable to expect that we glorify God and benefit others having been blessed with our time, talents, and treasures. Read the transcript for Spiritual gifts: unleashing the power within Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

I think we all would agree that when expressing our anger, it is better that we stop short of turning green and smashing everything. Even if we have the power to do it. But you might say, "There are times when we need to smash things into oblivion... like, evil." However, it seems pretty clear that God is the only one that gets to turn green and smash things (so to speak): "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19 For this simple reason: if it needs doing, God knows why, when, and how to do it. Read the transcript for How to Handle Anger with Wisdom and Grace Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email  

I want to make sure you are properly warned against enduring the consequences of a lop-sided morning. Because a lop-sided morning leads to a lop-sided day. By lop-sided, I mean focusing only on one area of your life to the exclusion of others. My sense is that there is a tendency to elevate exercise over the time you need to spend thinking, or more importantly, feeding your soul. Mornings should be an "all of the above" proposition so that you benefit from nurturing your mind, body, and soul. Read the transcript for Creating a Meaty, Meaningful Morning Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email  

There's no denying that "A Few Good Men" is a classic. In this movie, you have a young military lawyer, Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, assigned to defend two marines accused of murdering a fellow soldier.  With Colonel Nathan Jessup on the stand, Kaffee confronts the commanding officer of the Marines by accusing him of ordering a "code red" (an unauthorized disciplinary action) that led to the soldier's death. Jessup initially denies any involvement, but Kaffee continues to press him, demanding the truth. Ultimately, Kaffee's rebuke leads Jessup to admit to the truth. He sought justice and open rebuke led him there. Which, is the goal by the way. Rebuke is the means, not the end. Read the transcript for Better is Open Rebuke Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email