Getting “Old” and Gaining Wisdom
This week our staff team gathered to celebrate the 30th birthday of our Worship Pastor, Isaac Sanchez. I asked everyone to share something they would want to tell their 30-year-old-self (even if they weren’t quite there yet), a piece of wisdom to help Isaac transition into the next decade. Isaac commented that he was already feeling the age in his knees (the more ‘experienced’ staff rolled our eyes).
A few shared that they wished they would have done a better job saving for retirement, investing in college funds, and thinking ahead financially. Some shared about being less stressed about the little things and enjoying life more. But the thing shared most often and most emphatically was to focus on relishing these fleeting years with your young family. Eddie Lee summed it up when she said (I’m paraphrasing) “your ministry work is so important, but don’t let it dominate your focus on your family.”
I look back on turning 30 and remember that there were many ways I needed to seek out wisdom. I was trying to surround myself with people older and wiser, yet I was also neglecting to seek wisdom in some of the important areas mentioned above. We can’t go back and change things, but we can all seek wisdom diligently every day that remains. Lately I’ve been praying over Psalm 90:12 in the mornings, “so teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I want to use every day wisely in 2025 as we seek to grow into Oaks of Righteousness! That’s why we are studying Proverbs as a church, to gain the wisdom we need to honor Christ with our days.
We’ve been working through Proverbs one chapter at a time for the first nine chapters (we finished chapter nine Sunday). Now we transition to studying ten key topics addressed in chapters 10-30. We’ll look at often-mentioned subjects in these chapters, things like our character, the heart, our words, parenting, how to make wise choices about the future, money, work, and others. We’re doing it this way because the first nine chapters each had a theme and central idea, especially the 15 “My son” sermonettes, but the rest of Proverbs is more of a collection of sayings of wisdom addressing a wide array of topics.
Proverbs is known for giving “Godly skill for every day living” (to quote Dennis Rainey); something we all seek. Keep praying every day this week that God would give us wisdom in how we grow as Christians and followers of Christ. May He use us to reach the South End of Louisville!
Photo by Jessica Mangano on Unsplash