The teacher had a plan.
I sure hated the idea of learning percentages in grade school. Addition and subtraction and such seemed to be enough to get by in life. The entire class agreed with me the day the teacher introduced us to the next level of math.
Apparently, we weren’t her first students to balk at the idea because our teacher already knew what to do. Seasoned in her field of expertise, she had a plan –called Persuade them with Pie.
With pies lined up on the table, the mathematical question was, “What percentage of pie would be left if . . .” Well, I don’t really remember the problem, but I did learn how to calculate percentages that day. Any way you want to slice it, my teacher knew her students well.
God has a plan to stretch and grow us.
God knows us intimately. Even before he spoke life into us, he had a plan. He designed us to be in a relationship with him and determined what our role in his kingdomwould be. We were designed to be productive. Recognizing every need that would have to be met, he built in us the ability to fulfill our purpose perfectly.
We grow our abilities through wisdom. It is the catalyst that moves us from the basic ideas of our existence to a higher level of awareness of our responsibilities as a member of God’s family.
The basics of it all.
There is much to learn as we take on our role in the kingdom – just like when we were children in school. Early on, we learned to read, write, and do math. After mastering the basics, we began applying those skills to build a broader foundation of proficiency. Reading was necessary to comprehend a mathematical essay. Writing was required to communicate the answer on paper. All these lessons gained us additional knowledge.
The basics of kingdom living are different. We start by learning simple lessons about love and prayer. Before long, we discover love is more than feelings, and prayer is more than an action to bless a meal. We realize more insight is needed to thrive in our calling.
The pursuit of wisdom.
So, to build a more extensive, solid foundation, we transition from acquiring knowledgeto pursuing wisdom. Soon, we understand that love is really self-sacrifice, and prayer is having a conversation with our creator.
That is the value of wisdom and why we should pursue it. It evolves the simple from head knowledge to heart action.
Embrace wisdom. God says it is the key to life.
“My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.” Proverbs 4: 10-13