WALKING WITH THE WISE (1)

The regular repetition of an act forms a habit. Walking is the act of repeating an action over and over again. The kid musters the bravery to take one step, which leads to another, and eventually he develops the habit of walking. Walking with wise individuals entails having regular interaction with them, whether by reading their written words or direct physical encounter. Soul-walking—in mental and spiritual communion—requires the same amount of practice as corporal walking. For the uninformed, mastering the arguments of the wise and grasping the truths they proclaim is difficult at first. However, the ability to do so comes from putting forth the effort. If the smart men are ethically upright, then, it may not be easy to apprehend Divine truth as they do with their keener spiritual perceptions. But constant intercourse and communion enables one to do so. The religious faculty, the conscience is thus developed.

In the domain of matter, the law of assimilation is at work within and around us. The plant absorbs the earth's moisture and chemical ingredients, which are incorporated into itself and manifest as bud, flower, and fruit. Man eats both plant and animal food, which turns into flesh and bone. When a guy travels among smarter men than himself, he absorbs their ideas and incorporates them into his own. The health of the mind is dependent on the character of the concepts it receives and its ability to make them its own, just as the health of the body is dependent on the type of food it assimilates and its assimilation power.

Constantly receiving and assimilation of other people's wisdom, whether intellectual or moral wisdom, will eventually change the learner into a teacher—the student into a master. With time, the stupid becomes wise. The powerful animal life feeds the weaker—the freshly born—life until the weak child grows up to be as strong as the parent; the same is true in the mind and soul. As a result, exhortations to receive instruction are repeated throughout the book. Paul illustrates the absorbing and transforming power of encountering the Fountain of All Wisdom through the receiving of Divine thoughts:—“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).

Therefore, if our companionship is not a constructive influence, it will be destructive. It is implied that human beings will have companionship of some kind—that if a man does not “walk with wise men,” he will be “the companion of fools.” Companionship is in early life the outcome of necessity. A child of foolish parents cannot help being “the companion of fools.” This is the sad portion of millions, and it is the destruction of millions in the sense that it is the cause of their missing the great end of life—to glorify and enjoy God. If a good apple is placed beside one that has begun to decay, nothing is needed to complete the work of destruction in both, but that they should remain in contact. An utter missing of all that makes life worth having—that which our Lord calls the “loss of the soul”—is the portion of every man who does not continually grow in moral wisdom. For there is no standing still. Neglect is ruin in most material things. The house that is not constantly repaired will be ruined by the constant action of the elements. A man is surrounded on all sides by adverse moral influences, and if he only neglects to grow he will die. And to grow he must “walk with the wise.” Will you consider walking with the wise today?

Word Affirmation: “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." – Isaiah 62:2 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“ The house that is not constantly repaired will be ruined by the constant action of the elements. "

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