On your left is a cheerleader with her pom poms and cheer costume. She speaks of life with all its promise and wonder. On your right is an older man in overalls who speaks of life with the heaviness of having seen it all. Each one argues from their own experience. Younger partners feel like the cheerleader who sees only the possibilities ahead. The more “seasoned” partner, though, may seem like the curmudgeon who feels deeply the challenges, pain, loss and isolation that can come with being on the field.

Both are right. But if we can view life through the wisdom of God, we may learn to live in the wonder of the cheerleader, yet still acknowledge the realities of ministry life like the curmudgeon, living our faith lives with both authenticity and hope.

In 1 Corinthians 1:24 Christ is called "the power and the wisdom of God”—the power to remain and the wisdom to understand. Christ shows His joy and wonder when the disciples heal the sick and share the good news of the kingdom. He declares exuberantly that Satan has fallen like lightning (Luke 10:18). This is cheerleader joy—with wisdom.

As Christ faced death, His darkest night unfolded. He endured all the pain to free us from death. He embraced darkness and isolation in the garden of Gethsemane as Hebrews 12:2 says, “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” This is curmudgeonly joyful endurance—with wisdom.

Knowledge is what you know, but wisdom is displayed in what you do with it. Honesty without misery and joy without naivety become possible when we see the joy set before us, whatever we endure, like Jesus.

But that’s what a curmudgeon would say.

When I was younger, my favorite verses came from Elihu in Job 32:6–10. I thought I knew everything worth knowing, until the wisdom of the years and miles proved me brutally wrong. Now that I am one of those older ones myself, I still hear the wisdom in the words of the young man, Elihu.

In verses 7–8 he says, "Let days speak and many years teach wisdom, but it is the spirit in people, the breath of the Almighty that makes them understand.”

We can only live a truly kingdom life by listening to the Spirit of God, relying each day on heavenly wisdom from Him. Now that I am grown up, I’ve decided I want to become a “Cheer-Mudgeon” —One who lives in the joy and promise of each new day, while still accepting that in this world we will have trouble. This is possible because wisdom tells us that Christ has overcome the world.

Perhaps you can guess which side of the car seat I tend to be found on. I was born a curmudgeon and grew into a man who put the "sin" into cynical. But even I find I can’t avoid sliding over to the cheery side every now and again when I go around corners on my kingdom way.

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Chris Jones is the Global Outreach Director at New Hope Church. He longs for the unreached people of the world to experience the life-changing love of God and for people at New Hope Church to find fullness of joy by obeying the Great Commission