Leading a 9th grade boys bible study for a few dedicated guys on Wednesday nights has proven somewhat difficult. This is the first time I have tried my hand at "teaching" a bible study for freshman boys. Some seasoned veterans in the bible study department have informed me that the difference between freshmen boys and sophomore boys with regards to maturity and life development is the difference between night and day. I believe it and it is quickly becoming evident in the group. Interestingly enough, out of personal preference I have chosen to study the book of Proverbs with these guys. This has proven to be a very difficult task. It is difficult for the very reason that my inability to clearly communicate, let alone simply keep their attention, the importance of pursuing wisdom as a life-long discipline.
Proverbs talks a lot about wisdom, but it doesn't come out and say, "This is wisdom: do A, B, and C." Yes, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," but what does that mean to a 14 year old boy? How do you clearly communicate in concrete realities such deeply abstract terms as "wisdom" or "knowledge" or "understanding"? How do you tell a youth, "Get wisdom, though it costs you everything you have, get understanding." I have tried. I tried relating to them through Harry Potter. Harry is a great Quidditch player, in fact, he is a "seeker" and his sole job is to do everything in his power to "seek out" and grab the snitch. I tried to liken "getting wisdom" to that scenario, but one of the guys just ended up saying, "What's wisdom?!" The snitch is something concrete, but wisdom is something very abstract. I kept telling them, "Get wisdom." They simply responded, "What's wisdom?" I try to describe it, but the best I could come up with was, "That's a great question."
This Wednesday I am going to do a bit to try to answer that question. Some thoughts are these:
First, the pursuit of wisdom is a life-long process. The aged sage contemplating by fire, pipe in hand, white beard and all, is the picture most paint in their head when they see a "wise" man. That still doesn't answer what wisdom is itself.
Second, there is a clear insinuation in scripture that there is a fundamental difference between the "world's" wisdom and "God's" wisdom. God's wisdom is eternal, the world's wisdom is temporal.
Third, wisdom seems to be acquiring of a clear judgment that is the product of age, experience, and perspective. I know this to be true because I realize I don't have much wisdom.
Fourth, in order to develop a thoroughly Christian wisdom the "seeker" must be thoroughly immersed in the Scriptures. Christian knowledge is not "chapter-and-verse" knowledge, though that certainly is a start, but Christian knowledge comes when you begin to see life from the perspective of the Scripture. It's the big picture that allows the details to be clearer. The trajectory of wisdom is just as important as the details of wisdom.
Fifth, wisdom is intensely situational and always promotes the health of those within the reaches of that situation. Wisdom in one situation is not always the best wisdom in a similar situation. Wisdom develops in contexts and is applied in different ways.
But, all this to say... I still don't know what wisdom is. Is it a mind that judges clearly, but not only does it judge clearly it promotes the overall scriptural ethic of truth, love, and goodness. Still ridiculously abstract. What do I do? Any thoughts?
Proverbs talks a lot about wisdom, but it doesn't come out and say, "This is wisdom: do A, B, and C." Yes, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," but what does that mean to a 14 year old boy? How do you clearly communicate in concrete realities such deeply abstract terms as "wisdom" or "knowledge" or "understanding"? How do you tell a youth, "Get wisdom, though it costs you everything you have, get understanding." I have tried. I tried relating to them through Harry Potter. Harry is a great Quidditch player, in fact, he is a "seeker" and his sole job is to do everything in his power to "seek out" and grab the snitch. I tried to liken "getting wisdom" to that scenario, but one of the guys just ended up saying, "What's wisdom?!" The snitch is something concrete, but wisdom is something very abstract. I kept telling them, "Get wisdom." They simply responded, "What's wisdom?" I try to describe it, but the best I could come up with was, "That's a great question."
This Wednesday I am going to do a bit to try to answer that question. Some thoughts are these:
First, the pursuit of wisdom is a life-long process. The aged sage contemplating by fire, pipe in hand, white beard and all, is the picture most paint in their head when they see a "wise" man. That still doesn't answer what wisdom is itself.
Second, there is a clear insinuation in scripture that there is a fundamental difference between the "world's" wisdom and "God's" wisdom. God's wisdom is eternal, the world's wisdom is temporal.
Third, wisdom seems to be acquiring of a clear judgment that is the product of age, experience, and perspective. I know this to be true because I realize I don't have much wisdom.
Fourth, in order to develop a thoroughly Christian wisdom the "seeker" must be thoroughly immersed in the Scriptures. Christian knowledge is not "chapter-and-verse" knowledge, though that certainly is a start, but Christian knowledge comes when you begin to see life from the perspective of the Scripture. It's the big picture that allows the details to be clearer. The trajectory of wisdom is just as important as the details of wisdom.
Fifth, wisdom is intensely situational and always promotes the health of those within the reaches of that situation. Wisdom in one situation is not always the best wisdom in a similar situation. Wisdom develops in contexts and is applied in different ways.
But, all this to say... I still don't know what wisdom is. Is it a mind that judges clearly, but not only does it judge clearly it promotes the overall scriptural ethic of truth, love, and goodness. Still ridiculously abstract. What do I do? Any thoughts?