This is part 5 in our 5-part Wisdom In All Things Special Series, unpacking the implications of these two short verses from Paul, as they highlight 5 essential factors for living a life of purpose, wisdom, and impact.

“All the watching, all the standing fast, all the bravery, and all the strength the Corinthian Christians might show meant nothing without love. They were called to do all those things in a meek, humble spirit of love.” – David Guzik

Letting all that we do be done in love requires a daily commitment to live out the principles of love as God’s Word prescribes, by aligning our thoughts, attitudes, and actions with the love of Christ, allowing His love to flow through us to impact the world around us.

Read the transcript for Let All That You Do Be Done in Love

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

You could say that the phrase ‘be strong’ follows ‘act like men’ as a definition and prescription.

Let’s have Alexander MacLaren take us back into the mindset of the battle as he elaborates on this connection between the two phrases:

“Play a man’s part in the battle; strike with all the force of your muscles. But the Apostle adds, ‘be strong.’ You cannot play a man’s part unless you are. ‘Be strong’—the original would rather bear ‘become strong.’ What is the use of telling men to ‘be strong’? It is a waste of words, in nine cases out of ten, to say to a weak man, ‘Pluck up your courage, and show strength.’  

MacLaren points out the nuance of our phrase ‘be strong’. You can’t be a man without strength, and you can’t ‘just have’ the kind of strength the Apostle prescribes in this verse.

Alexander states that Paul’s use of this phrase is quite uncommon in the New Testament, but that another use of the phrase helps us better understand the nuance. He reveals that we are to be: “Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16).

Read the transcript for Be Strong

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

Given the current cultural climate on the subject, some might think it pretty controversial to suggest that we ‘act like men’. After all, if you were to listen to the critics, “Could there be anything good that would come from it?”

I can understand the sentiment. But not the reaction.

I think it was John Stonestreet who I heard say recently, “The response to bad authority is not, ‘no authority’, it’s good authority.” The context had to do with governmental authority, but it seems like it would apply nicely here as well.

While we may have steered away from the path of guiding boys into becoming men, it is all the more important that we return to the path rather than abandon the pursuit of manhood altogether. To put it another way, we should seek ‘true manhood’ rather than ‘no manhood.’

Read the transcript for Stand Firm in the Faith

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things newsletter

In the sixteenth chapter of Corinthians, you'll find these two verses, tucked in there, seemingly as a random stream of consciousness, part of Paul's closing in his first letter to this church in Corinth: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Standing firm means maintaining allegiance to biblical principles regardless of ridicule, and contending for Scripture not by being dogmatic but by graciously appealing to the doubter’s conscience. As some have said, "God’s truth can take their hits."

Read the transcript for Stand Firm in the Faith

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

In the sixteenth chapter of Corinthians, you'll find these two verses, tucked in there, seemingly as a random stream of consciousness, part of Paul's closing in his first letter to this church in Corinth: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Paul doesn't directly identify anything in particular that we are to watch out for, but that we should be in a state of watching. We are to be actively, and continually, watchful. 

A person who is exercising "watchfulness" in their lives is someone aware of the world around them and can think critically about what they see and hear.  Here are 3 phases to becoming watchful.

Read the transcript for Be Watchful

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I use this quote from Emerson in jest.

It seems to me that this is the prevailing thought about what we are to do with our lives: the reason we are here is to go our own way; to leave our mark.

But is that truly why we are here? 

Dallas Willard says “The purpose of human life is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."

Here are some key principles for living a purposeful life.

Read the transcript for Living Purposefully

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

King David speaking: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." - Psalm 51:3

We've talked in the past about living an examined life. Doing so can be a little unnerving. When we do that, it is (very) likely that we'll find something that we don't want to see, and, as a result, end up shoving whatever we found right back where we found it. However, to consider "not going there" only means that we delay the inevitable.

Here are the practical steps that make up our arsenal in our battle against sin.

Read the transcript for Confronting Sin: embrace the battle, be victorious, and live a life pleasing to God

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson

Malcolm Gladwell is a popular author and speaker who has written about the importance of practice. In his book Outliers, Gladwell argues that the key to success is not talent, but deliberate practice.

Effective practice is the key to long-term skill improvement. These research-backed methods will help you build on the foundation you’ve laid to create the habit of skill development.

Read the transcript for Being Better About Being Better

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

"Conviction is the driving force that transforms belief into action. It's the unwavering commitment to truth and principle that enables us to navigate the complexities of life with purpose and integrity. Without conviction, our beliefs remain mere ideas, but with it, they become the catalyst for positive change in our lives and the world around us." - D.A. Carson

Just as Winston Churchill's convictions inspired a nation, the right convictions can guide us toward a life of purpose, resilience, and fulfillment.

Developing a biblical conviction is a profound and spiritually rich part of our journey. It's not just about forming opinions; it's about aligning our beliefs and values with the timeless truths found in the Bible.

Read the transcript for Trust in the Truth: The Confidence of Conviction

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“It’s bad enough wasting time without killing it.” – Norton Juster, academic, architect, and writer. He was best known as an author of children's books, particularly popular was The Dot and the Line - A Romance in Lower Mathematics

With all that we have to do, it is awfully tempting to do nothing with out discretionary time.

Until you realize the implications.

Idleness and laziness can actually have serious negative consequences on both our personal well-being and the well-being of those around us.

If you're struggling a bit with where to focus, or with discovering how you can better ensure you're 'counting your days', here are some practical ways of evaluating the importance you place on living with purpose.

Read the transcript for To Number Our Days, Focus on What Truly Matters

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email

“The love of money is the root of all evil.” – 1 Timothy 6:10

Probably a familiar verse, but think about the last 4 words: “root of all evil.”

If we don’t love money, we can avoid a whole lot of bad.

In fact, we could swap out the word ‘money’ for so many things in that verse.

“The love of… the couch, Netflix, Peanut Butter M&Ms….”

But here, God intentionally–and specifically–identifies the love of money as “the” root problem.

I’ve rounded up recommendations on mastering money into a checklist that you can review to see where you might be allowing money to master you.

Read the transcript for Mastering Money Before it Masters You

Sign up for the Wisdom In All Things weekly email