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The expression, ‘He is just hot air’, denotes emptiness. It relates to something that carries no value. Sometimes you might get a parcel delivered to you in a big box. When you open it up, you realise it is just a small item, which is surrounded by air pillows. I received some vitamins which arrived at my door in a box twice as big as a shoe box. So much waste of space!
In a culture where reading a soft copy of a book has been replaced by online copies or ebooks, and even audio books, the enjoyment of turning a page and reflecting, seems to be lost. People consume rather than digest; they grow in knowledge but do not ponder over the deep truths. Their knowledge base becomes wider but their depth of understanding becomes more shallow. Knowledge without wisdom is folly! Those who speak without ‘thinking’ are considered unwise or foolish.
Gaining wisdom involves reflection, time to ponder, to think deeply, absorb and digest knowledge. In a world that is so hurried and almost everything is instant, how many of us do retreat to a quiet space? We are bombarded with blaring television screens, electronic billboards and hand held devices that literally demand our attention. We see a lot, we hear a lot and we talk a lot! All too often people talk a lot of hot air.
We are living in a phenomenal age a sizeable advancers in all areas of life – on earth and in outer space. The gaining of knowledge has reached unprecedented levels. Yet, how rich are we in the acquiring of understanding and wisdom?
Daniel 12:4 and Revelation 22:10 predictions resonate very loudly to our present times. Daniel 12:4 (BSB) says, “But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.” Revelation 22:10 (BSB) says, “Then he told me, ‘Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near.’” Daniel 10:14 continues, “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.” Look around you, are we not living in such end times?
2 Timothy 3:1-8 talk about the last days. Verses 2-4 (BSB) say, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
As the new year dawns, what are your yearnings? Is it just hot air promises and relentless hot air speeches or are you going to stand resolute as a person of action who is worth his salt? ◊
Linda Pearl
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