Childish Wisdom
“A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.”
—
Consider: What should we strive for as we become adults?
The author of Proverbs 10:1 has it right: The sooner our children figure out how to successfully navigate life, the better and more liberated we parents feel.
As the parents of three grown children (and one terrific daughter-in-law), Beth and I shared in a momentary “empty nest” syndrome a few years ago when one by one, our three kids left for college and the broader world.
We missed the daily interactions and vicarious excitement of enjoying our children’s expanding social network and world view. We loved sharing in their many activities and enjoying their friends. And we certainly missed all of that as the busyness of sharing in their activities lessened with the maturation of each child.
But our grief didn’t last too long. Perhaps this was due in part to a sudden liberation back to a forgotten world of quiet evenings, open Saturdays and the ability to eat out more than rarely.
I think our empty nest syndrome was briefer than we expected because we shared a deep satisfaction. We felt and still feel that we did our job, that our mission was accomplished. And this was not because of us alone. Thanks to teachers, and countless Sunday School, Youth, Children’s workers and ministers and adult mentors along the way, our children were more than ready to be released into the broader world. They had the basic tools necessary for a continued lifetime of cultivating the God-given gift of wisdom. This “makes a glad father (and mother!). ”A wise child also becomes a wise adult, a person who is learning to live skillfully. And our world needs these kinds of wise adults more than ever.
Prayer for this week:
Lord, give me this great gift of learning to be wise. I know that I need a lifetime of experience to offer the kind of wisdom you need for our world. This week, help me to use what wisdom I have to the best of my ability, and to know that with your help, what I have is enough for now. Amen.
David Jordan
Senior Pastor