A Reflection of Age

Wisdom.
I don't want to quite dive into the biblical definition of wisdom... "fear of the Lord"... but more the secular description...

Wisdom. "knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action"

Gaining experience that our perceptions change and we are able to better discern what is the best course of action. Over the last couples months, I've found myself reflecting on the past...  trying to learn from it, evaluating how I made my choices in the past and trying to decide how to proceed now in the present.

I found myself remember missteps I have made... missteps I was in danger of repeating.  Lessons I thought I had once learned, and learned once and for all... but sadly... from what I realize now... haven't been completely integrated in who I am now.

Wisdom.  Learning from past experienced and using it to make better choices.  That means that my past is still filled with a treasure trove of mistakes I have yet to learn from... or have foolishly forgotten.

Which leads to I guess the biblical form of wisdom.  The fear of God.  Recognizing God's sovereignty place and position in my life.  I think that can often be interpreted as having a fearful relationship with an intimidating God --- but I think the wisdom also includes an comforting understand that we are never alone.  God is with us.  He is present.

God uses our past mistakes to teach us.  At times He allows us to repeat those mistakes so that we learn from them.  The ultimate goal is that we grow and learn... and as we grow in wisdom, we are able to avoid repeating the same mistake in more difficult circumstances.

I think back on the past... I see the foolishness of the past and I see how much I've grown since then... but in the same reflection, I start seeing how much of that foolishness is still within me.  How many mistakes I either repeat or barely avoid and see how much more there is to grow...

alas that is life.  To live, to learn and grow.  I believe it was Howard Hendricks that said that the day you stop learning you stop living.

Prov 10:13

"Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
    but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment."