Are You Looking for Wisdom? - Part 2

On Tuesday, we published part one of this blog.  We encourage you to read it if you haven't done so.

I love the way that Solomon personifies wisdom in Proverbs and he gives us some great insight in moments when we really need to be actively pursuing wisdom.

"Listen as Wisdom calls out!

   Hear as understanding raises her voice!

On the hilltop along the road,

   she takes her stand at the crossroads.

By the gates at the entrance to the town,

   on the road leading in, she cries aloud."

-Proverbs 8:1-3

I want to mention four things about these three verses:

First, wisdom wants to be heard. She “calls out”, “raises her voice” and “cries aloud”. God is not hiding wisdom from us. It’s like a flashing neon sign! So if we miss it, it’s not because it wasn’t in plain sight.

Also, Solomon describes three locations in these verses and I think they can be applied to three situations that all youth workers face. The first is the “hilltop along the road”. Many times as youth workers we are the ones who are called upon to paint the vision, dream of what could be. As leaders we need wisdom to know what to share; to discern where God is leading us. Guess what? When we are up there looking at the road ahead, God has placed wisdom there beside us. We just need to listen.

We also find Wisdom “at the crossroads”. In youth ministry we have to make a lot of decisions. Do we go left or do we go right? We also stand at crossroads. And guess what? Wisdom is there. So we need to stop, close our eyes and listen to what Wisdom wants to tell us in order to make the best decision.

Lastly, we find Wisdom at “the entrance to the town”. Every week (hopefully) new students arrive at some program or place of our youth ministry or we go to them. Maybe it’s at a sporting event, a bible study or a school campus. All of us leaders get the opportunity to meet them for the first time and make a good impression. Many times, we have one chance and that’s it. So what’s the wise way to interact with that student, that young lady or guy? I bet you will never guess, but Wisdom is there. We just need to take a breath, listen to her and be the leader that new young person needs us to be.

So next time you are doubtful, conflicted or needing to determine your next step, look around you. Wisdom will be there. And if you listen, that young person will be blessed. They will experience hope and a future that leads to transformation in the name of Jesus. After all, that’s why we do what we do.