A Thought On Wisdom

Tona Kautz — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 14:49:02 +0000

A friend from high school passed away last week. I read a lot of posts dedicated to him and a consistent comment that appeared was “he made everyone around him feel loved.” What a beautiful legacy. What an incredible way to be remembered.

It’s made me think a lot about the impression I leave on others – not what they think of me, my appearance or even specifically my words, but what they feel when they have spent time with me. Do they feel loved? Do they feel encouraged? Do they feel frustrated or annoyed?

I often pray for wisdom. I’m about to hit that point in my life where the first number of my age is a four and yet there are many times where I still feel like a little girl, unsure, unsteady. I realize that at this point in my life, people do not see me that way. I am often given big responsibilities and try not to show the sheer panic that lies underneath the smile on my face that says, “Sure, no problem.” So I find myself praying for wisdom, the right words, the right actions, the ability to discern situations and know the right course of action.

When I read this verse this morning I thought again of that friend, of the legacy of love he has left. I thought about how love and wisdom go together. This verse sums up the legacy that I want to leave behind when my day comes, the kind of wisdom I want to live with day in and day out. Read this little chunk of scripture to see the difference in earthly and heavenly wisdom:

James 3:13-17 (NIV, emphasis mine)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

I spent time with a friend yesterday and at the end of our conversation I felt inspired, a desire to deepen my relationship with God and strengthen my faith. I have to say, I was kind of surprised because I am supposed to have the mentoring role in this relationship, yet I very much felt like the student. At the end I was thinking about every word spoken and how I wanted to change pieces of me.

I want to live every day with this kind of wisdom, with actions that come from selflessness and the desire that others feel loved. That is the impression I want to leave in the heart of others.

~Tona

Stretch or be Stretched

Tona Kautz — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:45:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed that when you feel you’re at the end of the line (no energy, drugstore no mental capacity, frustrated to the “T”, etc.) that God is always right by your side? He never seizes to amaze me. I am frequently burnt out and yet more frequently on top of the world following after my lord, my savior, my teacher……

As you may have read some of our blogs concerning our adventures in missions, we have been stretched. Every part of ministry can have an exhausting emotional and/or physical drain on people. We have worked with Kid’s Camps, VBS, Construction and Evangelism Teams, churches… and have felt exhilarated and exhausted with each one. Pouring out oneself whole heartedly into ministry should have that affect. Why do we do it? Why would anyone put themselves through a rollercoaster of emotions again and again? The other option would be to remain a surface level minister, a minister with an arms length from the people. Sure that allows a little protection, but it allows walls to be put up. I don’t recall seeing any books on building up walls as being a good thing, except in my engineering books. God wants the walls torn down so there is nothing between him and his people. In a culture of NO personal space, walls would render a person useless. God calls each one of us to be stretched, to embrace the ministry that God has placed before us. Is a missionary greater than anyone else? God has called missionaries to certain parts of the world, pastors to reach their cities, Sunday school teachers to teach, business people to minister to their colleagues…… We all serve an important part in obeying the call of God. Only you and God know if you are obeying God’s call for your life. I tried for many years to resist God’s call. I argued, bargained with, and even tried to ignore God. Why God would call me to missions I can only hope to one day fully understand. I am learning a bit each day but to totally understand God is beyond my earthly body’s ability.

The reason I’m writing this blog is not about the call, but about obeying the call. If God asks you to walk out your front door, do you first sneak around the back of your house to peak at the front? You may decide not to answer or even ask “Who is it?” and ask God “WHY?” If you are asking why, then you are trying to peak at what is in front of the door. The most important part of our walk with God is FAITH. So, why don’t we exercise that faith? Why do we doubt God? He created us! He died for us! He conquered death so that we can be together with him for eternity! If he has already done that, can’t we walk out the front door? By using our faith we are stretching and by stretching our faith it will grow.

Step 1: Obey the call!

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Step 2: Stretch your faith!

Acts 9:1-19

God called Saul and stretched Ananias.

God stretch me. Allow me to walk in your grace, to seek after the calling you have for me. Please continue to call out to me and allow me to obey your will.

devotion – The Kautz Family

A Thought On Wisdom

Stretch or be Stretched