Understanding

Integrating Biblical Wisdom for Practical Christian Living

This month we are focusing on Understanding as an attribute of the Holy Spirit expressing itself through us. To get started, let’s clarify what understanding actually is, and what it is not. Understanding is not the accumulation of knowledge. Instead, understanding is our ability to integrate the knowledge that we have and allow that knowledge to have a positive impact on our lives and circumstances.

For Jesus, our ability to understand spiritual principles allows us to gain a sense of stability and security in life. In Matthew 7:24-27 , Jesus teaches:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall!” (Matthew 7:24-27, NRSVue)

He was encouraging his followers to integrate his teachings, not just learning new things, but allowing those things to imprint on their hearts and actions. Through this integration, we find stability in what we create. We “build on the rock,” rather than on the sand.

This has a layered meaning. One thing Jesus is saying here is that deep spiritual principles allow us to create something lasting in our lives and in our world. Spiritual principles such as love, kindness, compassion, mercy, justice, and faith are sustainable ways to live life. Ignoring these teachings means we cannot create sustainability in what we are doing, they will be washed away.

Knowledge Isn’t Enough

Seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge can actually keep us from achieving the truly important things in life. It not only contributes to instability, but it can also make us miss the mark entirely. Jesus frequently challenged the religious leaders of his day, the scribes, Pharisees, and teachers of the law. These were the most knowledgeable about the Hebrew scriptures. They demonstrated their knowledge by trying to follow the law exactly, but in doing so, they often missed the heart of the law and failed to integrate its purpose.

Later in Matthew, Jesus criticizes these leaders:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. … Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.” (Matthew 23:23 NRSVue)

Jesus often had harsh words to say about the religious fundamentalist of his day. Even going so far as to say, “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.” (Matthew 23:4 NRSVue)

These heavy burdens were the ways that religious people tried to force conformity onto their communities. Those that studied the scriptures had all the knowledge, but it was only in their heads, not in their hearts. They expended a lot of energy on following the religious ruses, but they never made spiritual practice real for themselves.

Jesus also said,

“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40, NRSVue)

A good question to ask ourselves is, “What does it mean to be a good Christian?” According to Jesus, it has nothing to do with how much information someone has about the scriptures. In fact, scriptural knowledge seemed to be a stumbling block for the religious ideologues of Jesus’ day. Study is important on our spiritual journeys, but study without integration doesn’t benefit anyone.

“For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?” (Matthew 16:26, NRSVue)

Integrating Knowledge Through Practice

It is important to combine our study with spiritual practice and action. As James said:

“…faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17, NRSVue)

Having knowledge about something is not the same as demonstrating understanding. Understanding comes through our ability to incorporate what we have learned so that it can inform how we live our lives. Practices like prayer and meditation are catalysts for understanding.

Lectio Divina: A Practice for Spiritual Integration

One method of integrating the Bible into our lives is lectio divina, a traditional Christian practice of spiritual reading and meditation. Lectio divina, which means “divine reading,” invites us to move beyond simply reading words and instead listen deeply for spiritual guidance.

How to Practice Lectio Divina:

1. Read (Lectio): Read a short passage of scripture slowly and attentively.
2. Meditate (Meditatio): Reflect on the words or phrases that stand out. What speaks to you personally?
3. Pray (Oratio): Respond to God in prayer, allowing your feelings and insights to come through.
4. Contemplate (Contemplatio): Rest in silence, open to the presence of God and deeper wisdom.

Example of Lectio Divina

Suppose you choose Psalm 119:34:

“Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.”

• Read: Slowly repeat the verse aloud.
• Meditate: Ask yourself, “Where in my life do I need greater understanding?”
• Pray: “Spirit, help me embody your law of love fully.”
• Contemplate: Sit quietly, allowing new awareness to arise.

Lectio divina allows us to imprint the message of scripture onto our subconscious, making it accessible in our daily lives.

Affirmative Prayer and Integration

Using biblical passages in prayers and affirmative statements is another way to integrate scriptural wisdom into our lives. For example, when the Bible talks about the “peace that surpasses all understanding,” we might affirm, “I am a child of God and I have a peace that surpasses even my own understanding.” You could also use Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” (Ephesians 1:17-18, NRSVue)

Or from the Psalms:

“Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” (Psalm 119:34, NRSVue)

These scriptures can be adapted for affirmative prayer, such as: “I have understanding and keep the law of love and observe it with my whole heart.”

The Example of Jesus: Developing Biblical Understanding

It is important for Christians to develop an understanding related to the Bible, especially now when fundamentalist interpretations often do harm. It’s also important to begin to understand how to use the Bible as Jesus did. Jesus was not a fundamentalist. He even edited and reframed certain biblical passages for his era.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39, NRSVue; see also Deuteronomy 19:21)

Jesus was not just reframing scripture; he was editing out the old paradigm and establishing a new one. If Jesus is our example, then approaching the Bible critically and with a willingness to let go of what is no longer relevant is part of following him.

This is why approaching the Bible with a desire for greater awareness and understanding is a significant part of practicing positive Christianity. The Bible is only as useful as our willingness to practice and integrate what we find in it, as well as our willingness to move beyond parts that could contribute to division or exclusivity.

Practice, Integration, and Living Wisdom

For many, the Bible is not the only source of Christian guidance. Sometimes, a few verses from Christian and Hebrew scriptures are enough to expand one’s faith and understanding. However you practice, may you remember:

“Get wisdom; get understanding: do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth… Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:5,7 NRSVue)

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