God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones. [Proverbs 2:6-8 (MSG)]
I remember my parents responding to my teenage pleas of “Why not?” with the vague but decisive response, “Because I‘m the parent and I said so.” I hated that answer because I wanted an excuse to keep the discussion open in hopes of finally wearing one of them down and getting my way. Eventually, I occasionally used the same response with my own children, knowing that further explanation would just mean more debate and there were some issues that simply were non-negotiable.
It’s not just teenagers, however, that seem to have difficulty understanding that “No!” can be a complete sentence. Even though we’re adults, we still have trouble accepting that God’s directions are not open to debate or compromise. At times, we can be as willful as we were as teens. Sure that we’ve got a better plan, we argue with God’s wisdom to justify our planned actions.
Everything we need to know, every bit of wisdom we need, every guideline for behavior, is right there the Bible. We need to remember that God’s directions are not mere suggestions or good ideas; they are commands and meant to be followed. All we have to do is be obedient which, I admit, is sometimes much easier said than done. The power of the Holy Spirit, however, makes it possible.
Many years ago I heard a speaker say…, “Either sin will keep you from God’s Word or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” [Billy Graham]
Devotions of the Heart 