Scripture: Proverbs 3:13-14
Blessed are those who find wisdom, mind those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Thought for the Day: In the Bible, learning and knowledge are generally considered to be futile unless they are God-centered. This doesn’t mean we spend all our time sitting under the Bodhi tree and thinking about God (although this is a good spiritual discipline). Rather, in ancient times people strived to understand that everything we learn brings us closer to God—reveals to us a little more about God’s self. Wisdom was exalted in the ancient world (think about the story of Solomon, for example). The idea of “Elders” we emulate in the church today has direct roots in the ancient Judaic councils of wise and experienced people.

I know that my life is blessed with wise and experienced people whose advice has been motivating, thought provoking, and encouraging. When my wide-eyed idealism gets the best of me, I am surrounded by both church and personal families who have a dizzying array of wisdom they are willing to share, and I hope I am always willing to listen.

God works through all of us, in many ways, most of which we probably never even notice (God is funny like that). Over the years, I have realized that conversations with people are very often imbued with a deeper meaning, a message that leads me to new ideas and new ways of learning. I’d rather be surrounded by people who are always striving to learn and who understand that sometimes the things we think we know we don’t really know, than have all the gold in the world.

Prayer: May I never lose the desire to learn, Holy God, because I know that education leads to wisdom, which leads to a deeper understanding of my connection to you, and ultimately my purpose as a being of love and compassion. Amen.