A Soft Heart Open to Wisdom

My son, if you accept my words

       and store up my commands within you,

turning your ear to wisdom
       and applying your heart to understanding,

and if you call out for insight
       and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver
       and search for it as for hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the LORD
       and find the knowledge of God.

--Proverbs 2:1-5

I spend Sunday nights with a group of parents, praying for the youth, youth activities, and youth leaders of our church.  I feel like it's one of the best ways that I spend my time during the week.  As we were praying last night, one of the mom's prayed for something that spoke to me.  She prayed, "Give my daughter a soft heart towards her parent's wisdom and instruction."  I'm not sure that I quoted her word for word, but it's close.

I've noticed, as my kids get older and move into their teenage years, that I don't seem to know so much.  Ha!  I've heard that this is a normal teenager phenomenon.  They have this tendency to believe what others have to say, and listen to their wisdom, sometimes before they listen to mine...even if I've even said it first.  Grumble.

So, I echo this mom's prayer for my children, and ask God to give them a soft heart towards their parent's wisdom.  But beyond that, I pray that their hearts are open to others' wisdom as well...including God's.  It's our human nature to struggle sometimes against others' insights, or put higher confidence in our own ideas, and we cringe or act out in our pride, and we miss out on some valuable nuggets of wisdom.   Oh, I hate it when I do that!

"The next best thing to being wise oneself 

is to live in a circle of those who are"  

--C.S. Lewis 
 

I'm praying that my children have a soft heart towards others' instruction and wisdom.  Being willing to listen to the wisdom of others is a sign of maturity and growth.

Lord, your wisdom is the richest of all wisdom.  Thank you for sharing it with your children when we seek it.  Your Word is full of rich treasures!  I pray, Lord, that my children accept your words, and store up your commands within their hearts, turning their ear to wisdom and applying their heart to understanding.  Lord, If they call out for insight and understanding, and search your hidden treasures, they will find You in beautiful ways.  I also pray, Lord, that Alyssa and Kyle have hearts that are open to their parents wisdom and instruction.  Keep them from becoming closed off, or bitter, when we instruct in certain directions, and trust that we always have their best interest at heart.  Give them great pleasure in listening to others' wisdom, and good judgment on who and what they listen too. Thank you, Father, for the promise that when we seek you, we will find you!  Lord, be the first place they go for wisdom, and the loudest voice they hear speaking in their ear.