Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Wise Old Owl


 We tend to think with age comes wisdom and experience.  we are given references over and over of the young seeking the wisdom from the wise old owl.  This reminds me of Winnie The Pooh.  When our older two were young we use to watch a lot of Winnie the Pooh.  Owl always seemed to have the answer.  He was smart and wise.  and when anyone in the 100 acre wood needed advice or know something they went to Owl.  The funny thing is that he didn't always have the right or best answer, most of the time he didn't.

As I grow older I find that my body doesn't rebound as quickly or well as it use to when I was younger.  In high school or even in my early 20s I could easily run five or more miles, even out of shape.  I could get myself in decent shape fairly quickly.  Today, 20 plus years later, I am lucky if I can jog / walk one and half to two miles.  I then feel it for the next three days.  I find myself longing for that younger stronger body.  The me that could bounce back from injuries and exercise easily and quickly.  

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us that as Christians Christ renews us inwardly on a daily basis.  As we grow older and our bodies break down inside we are growing, maturing, and becoming stronger.  The young look to the older for guidance and instruction.  We often seek the counsel of our elders.  Growing old is not all bad.  If we hold the right attitude aging can be a wonderful thing. (OK someone forgot to tell me that one...)

However, just because we are old we are not necessarily wise.  James 1:4-6 tells us to ask for wisdom if we lack it.  However, we cannot just ask we must believe.  "4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." Last night at InDepth in our small group meeting I commented on the fact I cannot seem to get it right.  It appears to me that every time I turn around I am failing. Even though I tend to make mistakes in my life I can learn and grow from them.  Through my life's experience God is granting me wisdom.  If we ask and believe God will grant each of us wisdom.  We just have to be open to receive it...

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