Everyday Wisdom

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

Once one of our children and I were going head-to-head. He was mad that we wouldn’t buy him a certain kind of trendy pants and irritated with reminders to clean his room and stop bugging his sister. I wanted him to talk with me, at least a little, but he clammed up. I wanted him to know how much I loved him, yet irritations pushed us further apart. Despite my efforts, nothing changed.

So I began to pray for our relationship, believing God’s promise in today’s verses. The Lord Almighty doesn’t mind our lack of wisdom if we ask for his—in fact, he delights in sharing his divine wisdom with his children (even if we are parents).

One morning in a quiet time, I heard his Spirit whisper, You’re the one who needs to change. Accept your son just as he is, enjoy and appreciate him, ten-year-old quirks and all. That message prompted me to humbly pray, “Lord, change me! Make me a more loving, understanding mom who sees my precious son through your eyes. Give me your wisdom in relating to him.”

As God worked in my heart, I realized I needed to overlook the “minors” and focus on the “majors” and spend more time doing things he enjoyed. I asked him if he’d like to shoot hoops with me after school, and as we did, my usually quiet son began to share his thoughts: things happening at school, what he was frustrated about, what his hopes and dreams were. Closeness grew between us as I found new ways to encourage him with notes in his lunch bag and on his mirror. The everyday wisdom God supplied made all the difference for this mom!

Lord, thank you for caring about all the details in our lives and for supplying the wisdom we need to do life, parenting, work, and relationships. Thank you that long before we loved you, you loved us!

Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop than when we soar.

William Wordsworth(1770–1850), English poet