Joel M Bradshaw

33Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.—Proverbs 8

In my pastoral role I oversee support and recovery groups at my church. And I was the special guest at a men’s purity support group last night. I gave the room instruction from the Bible to take the purity journey seriously. I then challenged the men to own their situations and look to God for hope. Why were they in this group? What are they looking for God to accomplish in them in the next 10 weeks? As a soldier in recovery myself, I then brought out my 8 and 9 year sobriety coins and had the men each hold them. There is hope for the one who doesn’t neglect the wisdom from God’s word! Even for former hypocrites like me.

I then got to witness a room full of men confessing their situations to one another, owning their messes, and having hope in God for renewal. They will find that hope realized as they trust God, embrace accountability, and lean on their brothers. That brutal honesty and trust is the first great step of repentance, and is one of the most beautiful sights in Christianity. I am so proud of those men.

I bet you are really good at noticing when others neglect things. But what do you neglect? Which areas of your life do you purposely not use wisdom? The first step is recognizing. The second step is correcting. Neglect is the opposite of wise intentionality. Go to the Bible for God’s wisdom. Stay intentional. What do you need to own about your situation? How should you trust God?—JMB