Acquiring Wisdom

Proverbs 4:5-6 – Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. (NIV)

The elderly man sat across the table from me drinking coffee, relaxed and at peace with his world. "It took me a lifetime to arrive at my stage of contentment," he said. "I suppose it will take others that long also, because none of them wants to listen to me tell them how to acquire it," he said with a laugh, tinged with disappointment.

"Some things have to be experienced to become part of us," I said. "Our elders could never make us understand either."

How we wish that acquiring wisdom were as simple as someone telling us about it. Hearing the word and seeing the example in other lives is helpful, but some paths of life have to be walked alone and experienced in the heart.

Wisdom comes into our lives only when we stop seeking and start accepting. It is learning to live in the "now" of life. It is being satisfied with what we have and where we are. It is turning our lives over to God and accepting His guidance. It is the condition of being thankful for what we have, rather than striving to acquire more. It comes when we step off the racetrack and learn to drive the golf cart or use the comfortable walking shoes — and take God with us.

Prayer: Slow us down, Lord. Teach us to be satisfied with the riches we have: our homes, our families, and the beauty of Your created world. Teach us how to enjoy the many blessings we already possess. In Your holy name, we praise and thank You. Amen.

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