I returned home with a full bag of groceries which Joy immediately began to unpack. "I can't seem to find the mayonnaise and green onions," she told me.

"They must be in there," I said awkwardly, knowing I had missed the only two items on the shopping list.

She showed me the empty bag and immediately dispatched me to the store for the two essential ingredients needed for potato salad.

I consider myself to be reasonably intelligent but as I pulled out of the driveway, I realized I was anything but: how could I have spent almost $50 and missed the only two items we really needed?

We all forget things of course, and we can sometimes make choices that don't turn out quite the way we planned, but they are usually minor and have little or no permanent consequence.

But when it comes to the significant decisions, those that can impact our lives, we need something more. We need wisdom.

Wisdom, I've found, is not a word we use that frequently. We might say someone is "a wise guy," but our intention in that case is to be sarcastic and disparaging. Unlike "intelligent" and "smart," an individual who possesses wisdom is not merely gifted but has the capacity to make thoughtful choices that usually benefit the wider community.

And, being wise doesn't necessarily relate to knowledge. For example, a person might have a vast understanding of a particular field - even an academic discipline - but have little capacity to make a positive contribution to society in general.

I sometimes wish I could press "delete" and erase some of the clutter of knowledge (you might call it trivia) which is stored in my cerebral hard drive.

For example, do I really need to know that the final year of the Ford Edsel was 1960 or that aluminum foil was invented by Richard Reynolds?

Perhaps there are sports scores swirling around in your mind or you have a fascination with a particular movie star or singer; interesting material to start a conversation possibly, but that's about it.

We desperately need wisdom - to have a sense of judgment - to do the right thing that is not self-serving, but instead serves everyone, even those who cannot speak for themselves.

The source of wisdom is our Creator. The Bible speaks about this when it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who will give generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Wisdom helps us overcome the challenges of life. Temptations - the pull of addictions, bad habits, even destructive relationships - can consume us and cause us to feel defeated.

But God has made a way for you to experience personal victory and live a life filled with hope and encouragement.

You may be familiar with the most recited verse in the Bible: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Christ, who was perfect, died on the cross and rose from the dead to take away your sins (all the bad things you've done).

Now you can receive the wisdom you need to overcome the difficulties that face you. Confess your sins and call upon God through Christ.

Today would be the best time to accept God's love for you! Don't wait - He is waiting to hear from you.

- Simon Gibson attends church in Abbotsford and writes Faith that Matters regularly for the Abbotsford-Mission Times.