Blessed are the Wise hearted

"However, by the time everyone had taken a shot at answering, a lot of honesty, and wisdom, and faith, and uncertainty, and testimony had spilled out onto the table. It was a delicious mess and we enjoyed paddling around in it for a while."

"Pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective" (James 5:1).

Blessed are the Wise hearted:
Yesterday evening's "Men's Room" meeting was a smaller gathering than usual. It was one of those Wednesdays when just about half my usual roster seemed to have conflicting commitments of one kind or another. But I pretty much knew where everyone was, as the guys usually remember to honor our promise to keep one-another in the loop regarding changes of schedule.

Our conversation ranged from "Why I believe in the resurrection..." to content from the three week church-wide study we're participating in in preparation for an important congregational meeting later this month.

"Why do I believe in the resurrection?" turns out to be a great question, because it's a confession most Christians say they hold but are not used to articulating. And - more often than not - it's good to think seriously about foundational ideas.

However, by the time everyone had taken a shot at answering, a lot of honesty, and wisdom, and faith, and uncertainty, and testimony had spilled out onto the table. It was a delicious mess and we enjoyed paddling around in it for a while.

Wise-hearted:
Then, and this is why I always encourage the guys to bring along different translations of the Bible, we stumbled across a fabulous word in Exodus 35 that resonated with everyone in the room. It came out in Eric's "I didn't have to pay for it so that's the version I downloaded" digital Bible file he keeps on his PDA. The descriptive term "Wise-hearted" was employed to describe those who allow God to take residence in the depths of their being and - added to willingness and giftedness - respond to the urgings of the Spirit in the context where they serve.

So I'll leave that word with you: Wise-heated. Let's see what we make of it.

Love and blessings, always - DEREK