Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
July 20, 2023
Proverbs 1:1-7
1 The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel: 2 Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline, to help one understand wise sayings. 3 They provide insightful instruction, which is righteous, just, and full of integrity. 4 They make the naive mature, the young knowledgeable and discreet. 5 The wise hear them and grow in wisdom; those with understanding gain guidance. 6 They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings, the words of the wise, and their puzzles. 7 Wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Good Morning, Praising God all day long!
When we are young, we do not always understand or appreciate the wisdom that comes from years of living. We are in a hurry to get from point A to point B and only seek the necessary answers to check the box. We might even scoff at the advice of our elders. How many times were we told as a youth about something that seemed unimportant or ridiculous, yet as we get older, we see great wisdom in those words? There are cultures where the elders are held in high esteem.
Hollywood has considered this disconnect between appreciating the wisdom of our elders and the strength and energy of being young in dystopian movies like Logan’s Run where only the young are valued. In the movie, this makes sense to the main characters until they reach the age to be sent away.
We live in a society that perpetuates the glory of the young, as evidenced by all of our attempts to cover up our wrinkles, gray hair, and aging bodies. As we age, we may no longer have the strength or energy of our youth, but we have learned life lessons from all the challenges we have faced. Because we all have acquired different knowledge and wisdom, God gathers us into a community of faith so that we might nurture one another.
Take a moment and consider those who have played a part in your faith journey, and thank God for the wisdom of the saints you have met along the way. Knowledge can be learned from books in a relatively short time, but wisdom comes from years of experiences, good and bad, that cannot be measured by a standardized test but by the grace through which one endures life challenges.
Loving God, We thank you! You know our needs and provide us with saints to lead us on our journey. Thank you! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Who has helped me on my spiritual journey?
Seek the wisdom of others! Pastor Liz
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