Originally published Wednesday, 08 October 2014.
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5
This is a favorite passage of mine. And having just stepped into the adventure of mommy-hood, it’s a verse I’m relying on daily. No, scratch that. Moment by moment.
Speaking from this most recent experience, I’ve learned that wisdom for parenting is somewhat of a touchy issue. Every mom wants to do a good job, so I’ve noticed that when one mom manages certain parenting issues differently from another, it can stir up those moms’ insecurities and bring out some interesting sides to people. If, for example, one mom sleep trains and another doesn’t, since they both want to have made the best decision for their precious little one, they might get defensive toward one another.
As I’ve sought out mommy wisdom I’ve noticed this phenomenon. And when I’ve handled certain aspects of our son’s infancy differently than some of the moms around me, I got some interesting responses. Nothing wild or super negative. I just noticed how quick other moms were to pass commentary on our decisions without knowing our reasoning, or in some cases, that it was doctor directed. Finding a source of wisdom without reproach isn’t something to be taken for granted. And our Father graciously promises to be the source of generous and gracious wisdom.
Whether it’s wisdom for parenting, marriage, life decisions, financial issues, relationship navigation, or simply your daily schedule, God promises wisdom when we ask. In our information-saturated culture we have endless sources of “wisdom” we can turn to. And while we can pop open a parenting magazine, search a website for financial direction, or find a TV program with relationship advice, none of those sources of wisdom take into account each of our individual circumstances. My aunt (and a few other wonderful moms) have encouraged me to hold parenting philosophies loosely because there’s no other parent in the world just like me, or just like you. And no two children are exactly the same. So while we can learn great concepts for life from books and others more seasoned than us, ultimately the wisdom from Scripture and specific ways the Holy Spirit prompts us to apply those truths to our life is the only source of wisdom tailor-made for us.
It is a precious truth to rest our weary minds and hearts in to consider that the Lord will graciously, generously, and without the tiniest hint of reproach give us wisdom for our lives for whatever lies before us.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting “Wisdom Wednesdays” and journeying through Proverbs, the book of wisdom. I hope you will join us!
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