What Is the Wise Thing to Do?

The Maturity Question:

I remember loving the empty roads during the pandemic. One evening I stopped along Spring Garden Highway just to watch the sunset—no traffic, just quiet. Then I left late, cut through back roads, and rolled right into a police checkpoint. I had a pass, but it was past working hours. The truth was simple: I was living too close to the line. That moment still asks me a better question than “Is this wrong?” It asks, “Is this wise?”

Why We Drift to the Edge

Whether it’s curfew, diet, spending, or relationships, our reflex is to inch toward the boundary:

• the line between legal and illegal

• responsible and irresponsible

• moral and immoral

• ethical and unethical

• “I’m still in control” and “I need help”

We rarely invite our children or younger relatives to live this way. We don’t tell them, “Drive as fast as the law allows” or “Push it to the limit.” We say, “Be careful.” Be careful means stay aware, avoid unnecessary risks, and guard your life and the lives of others.

Picture a toddler standing at the edge of a pool. They’re not drowning, but you move quickly because there is no margin for error. That same urgency is what wisdom sounds like in everyday life: Don’t flirt with the edge.

Scripture Focus: Walk Carefully, Live Wisely

The Apostle Paul writes:

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15–17)

Paul’s counsel is urgent: watch your step, think clearly, seek God’s will. He adds another lens in John 9:4, where Jesus says, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” Jesus redeemed the time; He stayed on mission. Paul explains why that matters: the days are evil (Ephesians 2), lawlessness is at work (2 Thessalonians 2), minds are blinded (2 Corinthians 4), and we wrestle spiritual forces (Ephesians 6). The way we resist is not only through being “good,” but by being wise and saturated in God’s truth (Romans 12:2).

Four Takeaways for Living Wisely

1. Ask the better question.

   Move from “Is it wrong?” to “Is it wise?” Permission is a low bar; wisdom asks what is most God-honouring and life-giving.

2. Build margins before you need them.

   The poolside lesson applies everywhere. Create distance from the edge in your habits, calendar, budget, and relationships.

3. Redeem your time on purpose.

   Decide ahead of time how you will use this season. Focus beats distraction. Mission beats impulse.

4. Let wisdom guard the gateways.

   Not every lunch, message, click, or invite is wrong, but some are unwise. Choose the path that keeps your heart clear and your witness strong.

Practical Wisdom in Real Moments

• Is a late-night reply wrong? Maybe not. Is it wise?

• Is a “harmless lunch” wrong? Not necessarily. Is it wise?

• Is “just one drink” wrong for a recovering alcoholic? The wiser choice is obvious.

The Maturity Question moves us beyond the minimum standard and into the way of life that bears good fruit.

The Maturity Decision

Make this your commitment:

I will do the wise thing.

• in light of my past experiences

• in light of my current situation

• in light of my future hopes and dreams

• in light of God’s mercy and truth

• in light of my finances, health, and faith

Jesus embodied the wisdom of God in His teaching, choices, and even in the way He embraced the cross. By His Spirit, we can walk in that same wisdom today.

Your Turn

In light of your past, present, and future, what is the wise thing to do right now? Where do you need to choose wisdom over convenience? Write it down, pray over it, and invite God to lead you.