251-Wisdom and a Large Heart#
251-Wisdom and a Large Heart
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
The topic we are sharing is: Wisdom and a Large Heart
1 Kings 4:29-34
29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and a large heart, like the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone, including Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33 He spoke about trees, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; he also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 From all nations, people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.
Let us pray together first.
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! In this new week of life, we need Your wisdom. Please grant us Your wisdom, so that we can glorify Your name in our lives. I also ask You to give me wisdom, understanding, and a large heart. Let me live not by my own wisdom, but by the wisdom of Jesus Christ, for I believe that Your wisdom surpasses that of many. Let me see Your works in my life, in my family, and in every matter, so that we may know what Your good will is. Through the Word, renew my thoughts and intentions once again, and I completely surrender this time to the Holy Spirit. In the name of our Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, welcome! Our topic today is: Wisdom and a Large Heart. God once asked Solomon a question in a dream: What do you wish for me to grant you? Solomon received wisdom in a dream. If God were to ask you today, "What do you wish for me to grant you? Ask, and I will give it to you."
What would you ask God for? Long life, wealth, honor, or the destruction of your enemies?
Some might say, "That's hard to say..." Solomon did not hesitate; he asked God for wisdom. Many people have learned to be clever: I will also ask for wisdom like Solomon. Some say, "With wisdom comes wealth and honor, and everything I need." However, this is still a selfish prayer. The purpose of Solomon asking for wisdom was not for the wealth, honor, or long life that followed. We need to understand why God was pleased with Solomon's request and granted it to him; there is a reason.
Let us share the first point: Solomon asked God for wisdom.
God granted him wisdom and a large heart. Solomon sought wisdom to manage God's people and to discern right from wrong. This is also what we need today.
1 Kings 3:4-10
4 King Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices; for that was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." 6 Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant my father David because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, but I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
Solomon was not a little child at that time. Brothers and sisters, if there are a dozen children in your family, can you manage them all? Now with just two children, it feels overwhelming; they can drive the family to tears. At that time, the people of Israel were already numerous. How could one king manage all these people? Solomon understood: all of this is God's, so I need wisdom now.
How do we discern right from wrong? The elders and priests sit at the city gates, and when the people have problems, they go to them for judgment to determine who is right and who is wrong. It is through God's Word that we discern right from wrong, and this is very important. I want to tell everyone: We not only need to ask God for wisdom, but we also need to have a large heart.
Why is it not enough to have wisdom without a large heart?
If you are very wise but narrow-minded, many things will disappear. This is very evident in our country. We have many precious legacies from our five thousand years of history, such as some particularly valuable family heirlooms or skills, which can also be considered wisdom. However, people used to say that these should be passed down to sons, not daughters.
Why not pass it to daughters? If it is passed to a daughter, once she gets married, that skill is lost. So all the secrets and heirlooms are left to the sons. If a certain generation has no sons, won't many things be lost? If one has a large heart, they would be willing to share this. Why fear? Because they know that God will give them more. Solomon already possessed this wisdom, so he said, "Otherwise, who can judge this great people?" It is precisely because Solomon sought wisdom to guide God's people in God's way that God was very pleased.
Look at the following verses from 1 Kings 3:10-13:
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for, both wealth and honor, so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
None of the things Solomon asked for were for himself; he was always asking God to help him: Let me serve You and Your people. Today, many people also want to ask for wealth. Just now, you didn't say it out loud, but I know in your hearts, many people say, "For now, let's not talk about anything else; if believing in Jesus can give me some money, I will believe."
Can money fall from heaven?
Some say, "Why do you keep thinking about that? That's all worldly. The law will tell you that what you ask for is earthly, so God will not give it to you; you should ask for heavenly things." Are we living on earth or in heaven? Although we are citizens of heaven, we live on earth. It is okay to ask for wealth, but what is the purpose of your request for wealth?
The purpose of all that Solomon asked for was to govern his people. If you hope to be wealthy, pray to God. I give you an example: if you apply the same principle, it won't work. You must sincerely say, "Lord! Grant me wisdom so that I can earn a lot of money to help Your people. I am willing to help them without seeking anything in return." God will grant it to you; otherwise, why would God place that money in the world?
God created the world, and how much gold and silver is in it? You can see that in Genesis chapter one. Were those prepared for the children of Satan? No, they were prepared for the children of God. Now, wearing a diamond ring is very dazzling; you think it is very good. That was prepared for you by God long ago, but the purpose is for you to see God's glory through these things.
Some people say, "If we don't have this heart, will God not give us?" He can give, but if you don't have this large heart, you will lose it, or it may even get worse. A few days ago, I saw in the news that someone won the lottery, five million, and was overjoyed. Before claiming the prize, he took out all his savings and treated all his relatives and friends. After spending all the money, the person who won the prize ran away. Later, that person was in unbearable pain...
In the past, newspapers reported that some people won five million but lived like beggars two or three years later. Why? First, they lacked wisdom, financial wisdom; second, they lacked a large heart. They used that money for indulgence and ended up harming themselves. If they hadn't won that five million, they could have lived like normal people; it was that money that harmed them.
Many people, due to not having this large heart and not preparing their vessels, when they ask God, and God does not give, it does not mean that God does not love you; it is because you cannot bear it yet. If you say, "Lord! Give me the position of Solomon; I will manage the people of Israel well." Do you think you can? If you were really to manage a nation, you would probably quit in three days because you couldn't handle it!
So first, you need wisdom; second, you need a large heart. Solomon understood this. He said to God, "Lord! Grant me wisdom so that I can do things with Your wisdom and serve Your people." God said, "Good! I like that you ask me this way because you are relying on me. I will also grant you what you have not asked for, which is wealth and honor, so that in your lifetime, there will be no one like you among kings." What else does this passage reflect?
When you set your mind to honor God and serve God, God will also honor you; this is wisdom. The world also desires honor and wealth, but they always think about making more after becoming wealthy, so they can enjoy more. Such people do not have a large heart. Jack Ma, everyone has a high opinion of him; he has indeed brought us a lot of convenience. Some say, "All businessmen are unscrupulous, only for themselves." But he has indeed brought us convenience, and many praise him, especially during the New Year when people say, "Other businesses made so much money and didn't give us a red envelope; what about Jack Ma...?" Jack Ma has a heart willing to uplift the common people, which is rare.
Brothers and sisters, as we start the new year, let us also resolve: "Lord! I am willing to seek You in everything. Please grant me wisdom so that I can glorify You in this world!" Rest assured, when you are willing to glorify God, you will first receive God's glory, and God will lift you up. Everyone in the world is climbing up by relying on themselves, forgetting that there are people pulling them down. If God lifts you up, no one can pull you down.
1 Kings 3:14, "If you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands, as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
God first wants to grant you wealth. Solomon's wealth was immense; the Bible mentions that in Solomon's time, silver was of little value, and gold was the main currency. When I was young, silver was relatively precious, but now it is not considered much. In the years 1000-500 BC, silver was already of little value in Solomon's kingdom, which proved that their nation was very wealthy.
How great was Solomon's honor? Is there any king who could surpass him? Not to mention kings, is there any man who could live like Solomon? Many men regard Solomon as a standard, thinking that if they could live like him, they would be satisfied. Solomon had over a thousand wives, and all of them were princesses from various countries; he had mother-in-laws from all over the world. While he was alive, he truly lived as he pleased, eating whatever he wanted, drinking whatever he wanted, playing whatever he wanted, raising the best birds, camels, and horses. He had obtained all of this; do you want to obtain it? Some say, yes.
If one lacks wisdom and a large heart, problems will arise. Solomon began to worship other gods, and after his death, the kingdom immediately split, and all the gold and silver treasures followed. This is also a part we need to be cautious about. Later, God said to him, "If you walk in obedience to your father David and keep my way..." God is not unwilling to grant us wealth, honor, and long life; He fears that we are unwilling to listen to Him, which would turn us into wicked people in the world.
If you keep my decrees and commands, I will give you a long life. How did his father David obey God's words? David relied on God in everything, even when he was shepherding in the wilderness. What did David rely on to ascend to the throne? Was it his own hard work? Did he have a high education? Did he undergo professional training before ascending to the throne? No, it was actually God who placed him in a certain position, and he lived in that position, relying on God.
When he was shepherding in the wilderness, he lived relying on God and wrote many psalms. He was able to ascend to the throne through a simple opportunity; he was very skilled at slinging stones in the wilderness because there were no guns at that time. When fighting against lions and tigers, he used a sling, which is similar to what we play with, but even less effective than our slingshot; he had to swing it hard.
Perhaps we cannot understand why David was so happy while in the wilderness. David might not have anticipated that such a small gift would change his entire destiny. When David was alone in the wilderness with only the sheep, that seemingly insignificant gift defeated the giant Goliath and ultimately led him to the throne of Israel.
You also have gifts from God; do not underestimate this gift. If you can use it well, this is God's wisdom. In the kingdom of Israel, how many people could sling stones? There should be many, but how many of them could become king? No one could play it to the extent that David did. When facing Goliath, were there not others who could sling stones? Certainly, but none relied on God like David did; that is called wisdom.
In today's society, there are many potential pressures. Christians are not meant to live aimlessly; they also need to stand out. However, the world seeks the fastest, most talented, most beautiful, and most successful... The world pursues these things, some self-satisfaction, wanting to be promoted higher and respected by colleagues. But we need to ask God for wisdom and a large heart.
Without wisdom and a large heart, even if one possesses everything, they will live in anxiety. For example, just after the Spring Festival, many people start comparing. When they post on social media, the differences become immediately apparent. Some people post about traveling abroad, while we post about visiting our grandmother's house, which is only twenty miles away... We all celebrated the Spring Festival; why is there such a big gap? These things can bring us some anxiety.
Brothers and sisters, comparing ourselves to others will lead to dissatisfaction because there will always be someone more talented, more beautiful, and more successful than you in this world. We need to understand the mission God has given you, to have wisdom and a large heart to bless others, rather than to compare. This is very important: The gifts God has given you are meant to make you a blessing to others, not to compare with others.
If you always compare, you will not even discover what your gift is. Some people say, "Why is my singing not as good as theirs? Why can't I be the manager of the company? Why can't I reach their level?" If you do not thank God for the gifts He has given you and are not satisfied with them, you will always be dissatisfied with God and yourself, and your life will often be filled with frustration and jealousy. Even if you obtain everything that others have, it will be of no benefit to you and may even hinder you.
Using the gifts God has given you well is very simple. Take my preaching as an example; everyone thinks it is easy for me to preach. Many people say, "I also think it is quite easy." But when they stand here, they realize it is not that easy. The reason is that we need to use the gifts God has given us well. The purpose of using gifts is not to show off, and preaching is not about showing off: I know more about the Bible than you do.
So what? I am not relying on this to preach to you; I am sharing what I understand about God with you so that you can also rely on Him to live. Amen! We need God's wisdom and a large heart, not to perform only when you are good enough, but to see if you can live out the way God hopes you will.
David and Solomon are different. David's life was full of toil and years of warfare. David also had a wish: to build a temple for my God. But God did not grant him that wish; instead, this glory fell upon his son Solomon. He did not do anything; all the preparations for building the temple were made by his father David, including gold, silver, and how to build it. After God granted him wisdom, he inherited everything from his father and easily fulfilled God's mission. Some might say, "Not everyone has such a good father."
Let us share the second point: You can ask Jesus for wisdom to serve others with wisdom.
You might say, "Solomon had such a good father who gave him everything he worked hard for; I don't have that." But you have the same God that Solomon believed in, and you can inherit everything from Jesus. Amen! Look at a verse that shows you not to envy Solomon:
Luke 11:31, "The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here."
Solomon was already very wise; the Bible says his wisdom was as unmeasurable as the sand of the sea, including the sun, moon, and stars, discussing trees from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall, and also discussing animals, birds, insects, and fish... The cedar and hyssop are plants, indicating that Solomon was a botanist; the birds, beasts, insects, and aquatic life indicate he was also a zoologist.
His wisdom had reached such a level that he could speak about all these things; in fact, these were all God's grace. Brothers and sisters, we need to learn this wisdom to see God's works in our daily lives. Do not always say, "This God is only in church; outside of church, He is gone."
So many people say, "I must go to church on Sunday to pray; only then will God hear my prayers." Do not forget that God is omnipresent. You need to have wise eyes to see God's glory, power, and presence with you every day in your life. This requires God to grant us wisdom to open our eyes so that we can see.
Even when you watch television or historical dramas, you can see God's power. You see so many events happening in the world, and you can see that God's words are being fulfilled. These require wisdom to see. Thank and praise the Lord! So you need to have a large heart; when you possess wisdom and a large heart, titles and honors will naturally follow you. Many people do the opposite, saying, "Lord! Just grant me the position of supervisor, and I will give my all." It should be the other way around.
In front of people, you must first perform to gain recognition and appreciation; rewards will follow. How did David ascend to the throne? He was not without ability; after defeating Goliath with that sling, he helped Saul. The Bible mentions that he was very shrewd in his work. Does being shrewd not require God's wisdom? It does, so we need to ask God for wisdom every day.
I suggest you read a chapter of Proverbs every day. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs; if you persist in reading one chapter every day, unknowingly, God will grant you wisdom. Proverbs is very simple; do not interpret it spiritually, just understand it literally, and then God will grant you wisdom.
For example, if you encounter an injustice on the road, do not get involved. If you see two people fighting, do not participate. If you get involved in their matters, it is like twisting a dog's ear. Do you need spiritual interpretation for this? No, you know that twisting a dog's ear will result in being bitten, so you should not get involved. It is not a lack of love; it is that you should not get involved; this is called wisdom. It also mentions not to act as a guarantor for others; why should you let someone take away your bed? This means that no matter how good your relationship with this person is, if they ask to borrow money, do not act as their guarantor. This is not a matter of love; it is wisdom.
We need this kind of wisdom to manifest Jesus' glory in the world, needing Jesus' wisdom. It is not that after believing in Jesus, we should give up everything and be foolish; rather, we should be more shrewd than the world. What God wants you to do may seem very small and not so great. As long as you believe in your heart that this is the gift God has given you, then use it well, and with the strength God gives you, use it every day. God will anoint that seemingly insignificant gift and make it accomplish great things; do not overlook the gifts you have now.
There is a passage in the Bible that everyone is familiar with, which is the story of the five loaves and two fish. Today, I will share this story from a different perspective. The Bible mentions that a little boy brought five loaves and two fish. Is this very eye-catching? It is just a child's food. However, these five loaves and two fish fed five thousand men, not counting women and children, simply because these five loaves and two fish were placed in Jesus' hands, and Jesus caused them to multiply, feeding everyone.
Think about it: Did this little boy make the five loaves and two fish himself? Let's make a guess; it was likely that the boy's parents got up early to prepare breakfast for him to take with him to listen to Jesus preach. After listening all day, the little boy might have forgotten to eat, being so engrossed. At that moment, Jesus asked, "What do you have?" The little boy remembered he had five loaves and two fish, which were his mother's lunch for him. Brothers and sisters, have you ever thought that this little lunch prepared by the boy's mother solved the problem for everyone at that time? This little boy did not anticipate that the food his mother prepared for him would save everyone.
How many people look down on housewives? Perhaps this mother did not realize that the five loaves and two fish she made could solve so many problems. Is this a gift? Cooking is also a gift. I will tell you what a gift is and what is not: A gift is something done willingly; something done unwillingly is a right or obligation.
Today, how many people do things out of obligation? "This is my responsibility; I must do it." You will feel very tired. If you treat it as a gift, it is a joy. This mother may have gotten up early to make the bread and cook the fish. She might have said, "I am just a housewife, raising children, and I am very happy to serve my family. They are going to listen to the sermon, so I will prepare food for them." If she were dissatisfied with her identity and felt her gift had no value, saying, "It doesn't matter; I am just a housewife, and others look down on me," she might be complaining every day.
But this mother is different. When her small gift was used by Jesus, something extraordinary happened. Many people try to dominate their social circles, which will only make you more miserable. I don't know if you have this situation now; many people, when bored, scroll through social media, looking at what others post, unconsciously scrolling through, seeing others living better than themselves, and feeling a pang in their hearts...
This is of no benefit to us. You need to know your mission and what role God has given you so that you can live joyfully every day and enjoy God's grace. Returning to that small lunch, it solved the problem for five thousand men. Today, I want to comfort all the housewives listening to the sermon: Do not underestimate your gifts; do not underestimate your service, because you do not know that you may be raising future scientists, entrepreneurs, or even a pastor.
I dare say that my mother would never have imagined that I could stand and preach; this is something she could not have envisioned. So when you serve at home, do not underestimate your service, especially when you see your children. You do not know what kind of person they will become; that is in God's hands. Perhaps you do not directly influence this world, but your children may change it. Your task is to help them, pray for them, and raise them with God's wisdom. But first, you must have a large heart to view your children; do not ever say to your child, "I see you as a fool; you will amount to nothing and can do nothing..."
If you declare this every day, what future can that child have? If your heart is open and you have God's wisdom, you will see that child differently, and God will be able to change him. Your words can change your child's destiny because you are using the wisdom of Jesus.
Let us share the third point: Use a large heart to face your current work and service.
Many people especially hope to stand out and excel. Indeed, I also hope that the brothers and sisters listening to the sermon will succeed or achieve great dreams, but you must know that not everyone can become a president, nor can everyone run a business, and not everyone must stand on the podium like I do.
Different positions do not mean our roles are not significant. For example, I stand here sharing God's words with you, leading worship; is that important? Someone has to do this, right? The ushers, are they important? Someone has to welcome people. I admire some churches where the higher the position, the more they do the most ordinary tasks. In one church, an elder stands at the door directing where to park, and the highest deacon stands at the door welcoming people, showing them where to sit. The higher the position, the more they learn to serve others because they have a large heart.
We are the opposite of the world; the higher the position in the world, the more they feel important. We are different; the higher the position, the more we need a large heart because it is God's wisdom given to us; it is just a matter of standing in different positions, but we are all serving God. In the passage we just read, who is more important? The little boy who brought lunch? Or the mother who prepared the lunch? Both are important. Now in our church, those who prepare food, those who welcome at the door, those who play the piano, and I who preach, which is more important? They are all equally important.
You need to have such a large heart to face everyone; otherwise, you will feel that standing on the podium is the best, and you must serve God in that place. In fact, if you can give the smallest person in our church a glass of water, the reward you receive today is the same as mine. God does not look at us standing in a certain position and think we are more noble; He looks at whether you can use it. Now, if you are willing to serve with the gifts God has given you, enjoy this opportunity God has given you.
Such serving personnel in a church are very important, so in families, workplaces, and interpersonal relationships... they are equally important. Do not underestimate anyone in your social circle; do not underestimate any of your colleagues or friends; perhaps in three years, this person will become successful. Be satisfied with your current role; we are all serving before God and are all recipients of the same reward.
Philippians 2:13-16
13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation," and you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.
At the beginning of the new year, many people have set their goals: what they want to achieve this year. Who gives you such thoughts? For those who have already believed in Jesus, this thought is given by God. What is God's purpose for you? You are setting your goals... It may seem like we are setting goals, but it is God working in your heart to fulfill His good purpose. You do not know that this small aspiration of yours can change many people one day, just like that mother; she did not realize that the five loaves and two fish she prepared for her child could change so many people. Today, you are the same; do not think, "Will my aspiration work?" Believe: With this thought, you will rely on God in everything.
You say, "Lord! You will use me to manifest Your glory in this matter." Just like our Sister Sun, she initially had an aspiration: I want to glorify God. Even if I run a business, I want to glorify God. As a result, God gave her this opportunity.
You are the same; if you truly do things to glorify God, He will definitely give you this opportunity. What is feared is that we become increasingly selfish, ultimately saying, "Lord! Grant me more money so that I can have a higher position, so I can embezzle more and show off myself..."
"Save it; that will ruin you." Many people only see who is standing in front, who has gained fame and prestige; they are our leaders, and we admire them very much, envying them: I also want to stand in that position. But remember: If that is not our calling, not our gift, if we do it, we will become very discouraged. Many people in the church, lacking ability, insist on standing on the podium, and as a result, they start saying, "That person is not worth anything..." saying all sorts of nonsense, which not only cannot save people but also leads many astray.
If it is not our gift, doing it will lead to discouragement, and we will not see the expected results. If you are working hard on something, I give you a reference: If you particularly want to become that kind of person, you strive in that direction, and in the end, you find it particularly painful and very discouraging, and you see no results, what should you do? Change direction, ask God for wisdom and a large heart: "Lord! What is the gift You have given me? Let me use this gift to glorify Your name."
If you do what others do, wanting to become someone else, it will be very difficult for you. Therefore, it is necessary to have wisdom and a large heart; there is no need to surpass your friends to feel good about yourself. You are not living for your friends; there is no need to compare. You need to know why you are living in this world. It is not that everyone serves God by standing on the podium like I do; it is not like that. You can also serve happily behind the scenes.
When I was not on the podium, I was also very happy in my previous service because at least I did not have to worry so much. Just like our Sister Dong, she can serve God in this way, using music to praise God; she enjoys being in it. If we switch places, and I have to play the violin, it would be very difficult for me; that is not my job. In the past, I thought playing the erhu was nothing special; I could play with six strings, but what are two strings? As a result, my friend gave me his erhu, and the sound I produced was particularly unpleasant. In his hands, the sound produced was particularly beautiful. You will find that is not your gift; you cannot switch places with each other. As long as you see what gifts God has given us and then use them, you will enjoy being in it.
Do not try to become someone else; your life will become much easier, and the pressure will disappear. Nowadays, too many people strive to become someone else, to be respected by others. Do not forget: God already values you highly; you are the apple of His eye, His treasure. Why seek evaluations from the world? Know God's evaluation of you, and live out that identity. So when you understand this, you will possess God's wisdom, and naturally, you will have a large heart.
Please remember: In God's eyes, serving in the kitchen is as important as serving as a pastor; cleaning up and serving as a deacon are equally important. God may ask Esther, "Are you willing to use your gift to stand up for my people in a crisis?" God may also ask the little boy's mother, "Are you willing to prepare five loaves and two fish for your child today?" Which of these two missions is better? In God's eyes, they are equally important; God does not compare these two people.
You need to know that if others look down on your gift, it does not matter; God values it. God will not say, "Esther, you are my glory; you saved more people." God will absolutely not say to that mother, "Look at you; you only saved five thousand men... you just performed a miracle; you only made lunch; you are just a housewife."
God will not look down on her like that. Do not look down on yourself; do not say, "I have nothing in this world; I cannot do anything." God has definitely given you gifts; you will surely discover that there is something you can do well. Understand God's intention, and then be willing to be in it.
Verses 14-15: Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. You will shine among them like stars in the sky. God does not want us to become one way after believing in Jesus; after we believe in Him, we can manifest Jesus' glory in all walks of life. There are those in chemical engineering, physics, astronomy, geography, and teaching...
God hopes that we can manifest His glory in every aspect because our God's wisdom is truly vast. You need to ask God for wisdom in your industry, so that God can give you wisdom and a large heart to serve Him and manifest His glory.
Verse 16: "As you hold firmly to the word of life." God's word is not dead; it is alive. What is the word of life? It is to manifest God's word in your industry; that is the best. One thing is certain: the wisdom you need, God will surely give you. In every profession, God is proficient in all.
"Let me boast that I have not run or labored in vain on the day of Christ." Ask God for wisdom and a large heart, brothers and sisters; these two are very important. Without a large heart, even if God gives you more, you will become very depressed, and in the end, you may waste the gifts God has given you.
Let us look at a person we need to be reminded of: King Saul.
1 Samuel 18:6-9
6 When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. 7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" 9 And from that time on, Saul kept a close eye on David.
Do you think this is worth it? It is just that one person killed more than the other. But at that moment, Saul began to be jealous of David, giving the devil an opportunity to attack him. He could have managed his throne well, but from that day on,
10 the next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand...
Brothers and sisters, do you know when the devil can attack you? When you become overwhelmed by something, and your inflated self-importance suddenly appears, the devil finally has the opportunity to attack you. So that day, Saul was filled with jealousy, thinking: I must kill David for daring to steal my spotlight, my title...
Finally, the evil spirit came upon him. The Bible says it was an evil spirit from God. Why would there be evil spirits from God? We can call them evil spirits; today, there are no evil spirits with God, but there are evil spirits in the world. When do they work? It is when you are completely self-centered and cannot see God's grace that the devil has the opportunity to work. One reason Saul lost his throne was that he did not understand God's grace.
When he heard the women say, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands," he began to see David differently, and his heart was filled with strife. The problem was not with David; Saul simply could not tolerate someone being better than him. Are there not such people in the church? Some say, "Lord! Why have you given him so much...
Why not me?
If you always focus on these things, you will also inadvertently be attacked by the devil. So adjust your focus and place it on God. Like Saul, even if he does not have David's tens of thousands, he still has thousands; thousands are also a lot! If I am at hundreds, can I not live? Use your gift well, serve God with this gift, and that is enough.
In other words, if I were King Saul, my level is thousands, but my subordinates are all Davids with tens of thousands. Do you think I would be sad or happy? Why would I be unhappy? Because their abilities are stronger than mine, they can ensure that everything goes smoothly, and I do not have to do it myself.
If I am at tens of thousands and my subordinates are at hundreds, if something goes wrong, I still have to step in. From this perspective, isn't having a large heart also a kind of wisdom? If a business owner has this kind of heart, they will do everything possible to hope their employees earn more money, even if their employees earn more than they do, they will be grateful. In fact, the owner earns more.
In serving, I hope that each of you will receive more of God's rewards, or one day after you go out, you can establish churches, glorify God's name, and become great people like Paul. In fact, that still makes me the happiest.
God is always pleased; God does not become happy because you do more. That is not the case. Do not think of it in a worldly way. God has always valued you; the more you do, the more rewards He gives you. It is not that God becomes happy because you do more, and unhappy because you do less.
No, God has always valued you; it is just that when you do better, God is even happier. I hope that each of your gifts is greater than mine; I hope that each of you is more prosperous than I am. This is my genuine thought. I hope that everyone who listens to my preaching truly understands God's good will, that they receive it, and that their lives are transformed. My family is not wealthy, but I hope that each of you is more prosperous than I am; my eloquence is not good, but I hope that after hearing this sermon, God grants you wisdom, and your eloquence is better. This is a large heart that can be applied in any industry.
If you are a teacher, do you hope your students are all fools, none of them better than you, or do you hope your students are all remarkable individuals, even achieving greater accomplishments than you? God gave you Jesus not to live like Lazarus but to hope you live like Jesus. The path of your life is tailor-made by God for you. So do not let your neighbor, friends, or colleagues distract your heart; focus on running your own race. Amen!
Learn to accept the gifts God has given you. Perhaps you are not the fastest, not the most beautiful, not the most talented... This does not matter. What matters is to make the best use of your gift. Some say, "If you are thin, you must be beautiful." Look at that certain Ling at the Spring Festival Gala; she is chubby, isn't she also very cute? Who dares to say she is ugly?
So do not pursue that with worldly eyes; accept what God has given you willingly, and then make the best of it. Please remember that you are unique in God's eyes. Starting today, there is no need to be thin to be considered beautiful; perhaps being chubby is also a kind of beauty; health is the best.
Let us look at the last passage, Hebrews 12:1-2:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Bible says that these witnesses surround us like a cloud. What benefits do these witnesses bring us? We see how they relied on God, and you can also rely on God. Like David, Moses, Solomon... all kinds of people, they can serve God in different industries and fields, and you can too. Do not compare yourself to others; see what gifts God has given you. Throw off everything that hinders you, and what does it mean to throw off the sin that so easily entangles you?
Do not get your focus wrong. If you focus on people, "I am not as good as him; he is better than me; today someone said something, and I felt so bad..." Let go of all these things; they will entangle you. Then, with perseverance, run the race marked out for us, meaning the path Jesus has given you is not to make you feel discouraged but to keep moving forward.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Jesus is the beginning and the end of your faith. Amen! So, the past failures do not mean you are still a failure; past successes do not mean you can be proud today. Live out a new life with the gifts God has given you today.
See the joy that God has set before you, just like Jesus. When Jesus endured shame, He saw the results of His work, and you are the same. When you possess God's wisdom and a large heart today, you will not care about what others say about you; you will bless them because your heart will be filled with God's joy. You know that God will reward you; God is pleased with you. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord!
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for renewing us once again through such words. You grant me wisdom and a large heart, grant wisdom and a large heart to our brothers and sisters. I do not want Solomon's wisdom; I want the wisdom of Jesus Christ because I know the Holy Spirit is with me, and He will help me. Please You let me see God's wisdom in my daily life, so that I can use God's wisdom to the best of my ability in my field.
Lord, I am willing to use my current gifts to glorify Your name. Please help me to use this gift to serve more people. Thank and praise You! In this new week, I am willing to enjoy Your presence every day, enjoying the wisdom You have given me. Thank and praise You! All glory belongs to You! In the name of our Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!