Wisdom’s Ways

Proverbs 4:^11-12 “I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.”

Having margin creates space for all the great things that God wants to do in our lives. Therefore, we need to work for the best and plan for the worst. In other words, we need to have faith and walk in wisdom. The first two areas where we need to create margin are with our Finances and with our Time. We need to spend our time wisely because when we overspend our time, we are overstressed. If you want to live a stress-free life, you need to check how you spend your time. You cannot multiply your time. For instance, if you had spent your time exercising, you would have bought yourself the opportunity of more energy to do more things. But you spent your time watching television, so you wake up tired, and stressed. What do you spend your time on? To create margin, expect the best and plan for the worst.

The third area where we need to create margin is our Body. Take care of your body; expect the best from your body, but plan for the worst. Expect the best – get medical insurance, but plan for the worst. In the part of the world where I am from, when somebody builds a new house and you try to sell fire insurance to the person, the person will think they sent you from the village and that you do not have his or her interest at heart. Why should you be thinking of devastation on a day of rejoicing? God says to expect the best, but also plan for the worst. 1 Cor.6:^19-20 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

How are you managing your body? When was the last time you went for a medical check-up or a dental examination? When was the last time your eyes were checked? When was the last time? You may say but I have faith that by the stripes of Jesus I am healed. That is the problem of the African Christian. While that is in place, God still expects you to put systems in place that protect your health. The fourth area where we need to create margin is our Work. God wants you to be diligent in your work. Proverbs 6:^6-8 “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” (NIV) The ant is a diligent worker. The ant goes out expecting to find food. The ant plans for the worst; it stores up it is food for the winter.

You can believe that everything is going to be rosy by the grace of God. Listen, life is in cycles, and I am sure you have read the book Winning: giving us a stunning victory in the battles of life. Life is a cycle; the strongest of us are those that take their bests cycles and prepare for the turbulent times because they will come. Read Eccl.3:15.

Prayer: Father, empower me to create margin with my finances, my time, my body, and my work. Help me to expect for the best and plan for the worst, in Jesus Name. Amen!