It Is Not Only The Old Who Are Wise

Dionna Sanchez — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:25:19 +0000

I came across these verses this morning in my Bible reading…

“I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.”

It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.

Job 32:7-9

What wisdom those verses share! Sometimes we automatically assume that just because someone is older than us, that that makes them wiser. In fact, sometimes we assume that just because someone has more experience in a certain area than us – that they must know what they are talking about, and be wiser than us.

I think we’re wrong to blatantly assume that just because somebody has more skills or experience or years living on the planet than us…that they are more likely to be right in their thinking than we are.

In fact, I’ve seen many people who are very experienced in certain areas of life – very wrong about things at times.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us wisdom and discernment. If we lose that connection with the spirit that lives inside of us….it doesn’t matter where we are, what we do, or how much we’ve done it – we lose a great cord of wisdom in our lives.

A little child can have more wisdom than an adult at times. An apprentice can have more wisdom than his master. For age and experience don’t lend themselves to maturity automatically. Very brilliant and experienced people can still be very immature.

I’ve seen it.

I want the “breath of the Almighty” to breathe into me. I want Him to give me understanding and wisdom. In order for that to happen, I need to do what it takes to make myself right with God. Then I will have the greatest access of all…..for God wants to speak to me. He wants to breathe into me.

May I be HIS vessel.

~ Dionna Sanchez

http://www.EmphasisOnMoms.com

http://beautyinthestorm.blogspot.com

As I Grow In Christ, I Put Away Childish Things

Hariette Petersen — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:03:25 +0000

The toy boxes I keep for my visiting grandchildren overflowed with broken pieces, odd parts, and dried playdoh. As I tossed doll arms, car wheels, crayon wrappers, and puzzle parts, I also found toys my grandchildren had outgrown. I purged the toy boxes further and I saved some of the things I removed to put in a yardsale. One day the girls came over and discovered the box of discarded items in my garage. They dragged it out and began pulling toys and tossing them on the floor as fast as they rummaged through the box of long-forgotten toys. “Whoa, put those things back in the box. You’ve outgrown them. You have plenty of other things to play with. I’m gonna sell these in a yardsale.” With minimal protest, the girls put the toys back in the box and went on to play with other things.

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11

Ever think about the things you’ve given up as you’ve grown as a Christian? As I read Chapter 13 of First Corinthians, I noticed several things that should be discarded from my life: Impatience. Judgemental attitude. Jealousy and envy. Rudeness. Unkindness. Negative thoughts of others. Selfishness. These are things children exemplify on a daily basis while playing with one another. They love to tattle on one another and blame another for what they do wrong. They don’t like to apologize when they misbehave or lose their temper. They don’t like to share. They are often jealous of another’s toys. They want their way and find it difficult to do things another’s way. They are disobedient and tend to whine when they don’t get what they want when they want it. Many times they resort to lashing out and hurting others because they are dissatisfied with a situation. Childish ways. Childish things.

Can you relate, as I did, to these things in your adult life? Do you know folks who have not given up childish things? Attitudes? Actions? God expects us to grow in His grace and rely on Him to help us give up our self-centered desires. If we focus on the feelings we have whenever we indulge ourselves in anger, jealousy, or impatience, we quickly recognize how unpleasant our lives are. How much more so is the unpleasantness to others as they experience our childish ways.

PRAYER: Lord, help us see the childish things in life we are still holding onto. Open our eyes so we can put away the things which do not bring You glory. Give us grace to grow beyond the childishness we cling to. Fill us with Your patience, your stead-fast self-control. Let us be the example we need to be for our children and others.

Devotional Christian » christian maturity

It Is Not Only The Old Who Are Wise

As I Grow In Christ, I Put Away Childish Things