When I look back over my life at some of the wise mentors of the faith who influenced me the most, one of the characteristics they all had was a calm, quiet sense of purpose. They also reflected a confidence—not so much in themselves, but in the God they served and in who they were as His followers. It made interacting with them, even those who were men of wealth and great influence, not difficult. There was a humility in the midst of that persona. I don’t know truly wise people who are boisterous and overbearing. As Solomon talks about, the internal wisdom of God in their lives is reflected maybe not so much in their appearance as in their presence. Wisdom has taught them. They don’t need to be the center of attention. They don’t need to be the most noticed in a crowd or even a small group. It has also taught them that they are truly not better in God’s eyes than anyone else. Instead, they see themselves as blessed and carrying a heavy responsibility to reflect Him in every circumstance. In some ways, it resembles what we used to call the old Southern gentleman. But that neither goes far enough nor is it restricted just to people in the South. It is also not just reflected in men. The Proverbs 31 woman is a great example of this wisdom exuding from a follower of God. If you are a believer, these men and women are not difficult to spot as you and they age. It is seen mostly in how they interact with people and treat others, especially those struggling in life. They reflect Jesus. Today, as you grow in wisdom, reflect Jesus. #BeTheEdge
“Be kind and compassionate to one another.” Ephesians 4:32a NIV
