Surf’s Up!

Surf’s Up!

In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short. Proverbs 24:14

Have you ever wondered why we often give greater weight to the advice of people who don’t know us rather than to those who do? I’ve heard friends—or their wives—lament that their spouses, children, or friends will give greater weight to someone else’s opinion than the opinion of a trusted member of the family. I certainly have seen that happen in my family.

Nathan remembers a good example of that from his college days. Two of his friends, brothers Robert and Hal, were waiting in the course drop/add line at the University of Florida, back when changes were still entered by hand. It was the final day to add the classes that they needed that semester to stay on track to graduate.

That evening their father, who was an engineering professor at the school, asked them how everything turned out.

“We went surfing instead,” they told him.

Their dad nearly fell to the floor, but luckily he landed in a nearby chair as his sons continued what seemed a logical explanation of their change of plans. It seems that when they were in line, they struck up a conversation with a guy who offered his piece of advice: if Robert and Hal weren’t particularly excited about any of the courses still available, maybe they should skip this semester and try to get the classes they wanted the following semester. It made perfect sense to Robert and Hal. So they drove to St. Augustine and surfed all day.

Their father was beside himself, partly because they decided to drop out a semester, but even more so because their decision making totally lacked wisdom. How could they value so highly the opinion of someone they had just met, who had no idea who they were or what was important to them or what they were trying to accomplish?

It was unthinkable and unbelievable. It would be quite a while before they could all laugh about it.

Uncommon Key > Be careful of listening to “the man on the street.” God’s wisdom can usually be found in trusted relationships and revealed during times spent with Him.