Well, it's back to school for the students, and I suspect that there are a few smiles and sighs of relief from some of you parents, especially you moms. There were eleven siblings in my family and my mother had children going to public school for well over thirty years consecutively. You can be sure she looked forward to back to school days.
Of course, going to school means we should gain more knowledge and understanding. I had a teacher that said, "John, don't get smart," so I never did. Maybe that's why I spent the best six years of my life in grade seven. It's pretty humiliating getting kicked out of grade seven for not shaving. Okay, I'm just kidding, but hopefully you are staying with me on the subject of learning. Just learning for the sake of gaining more information, seems to me to be an effort in futility.
Charles Swindoll, in his book "The Strong Family", has a wonderful definition for wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
"Wisdom is the ability to see with discernment, to view life as God perceives it.
Understanding is the skill to respond with insight.
Knowledge is the rare trait of learning with perception - discovering and growing."
King Solomon, son of King David, and the wisest man who ever lived, said in Proverbs 9:10, "The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the begininng of wisdom."
In his personal autobiography as articulated in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon describes his lavish life style. He had everything money could buy, and experienced every pleasure imaginable, only to find it was all futility and vanity. At the end of his life, he shares his heart. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesisastes 12:13).
Our desire here a NSCF echoes that of King David in Psalm 90:12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." You are very welcome to come learn with us.
Pastor John Giesbrecht
