Today is the first day of September, the unofficial beginning of the fall season, and the new school year starts this week. It is the beginning of very defined time periods: the four weeks of September, the three months of Fall, the 10 months of school. Two years ago, in the September issue, the editor of Magnificat wrote, “This month, as the leaves begin to fall, and we all grow four weeks older…” I saved that quote because I had never thought of a month that way. At the end of September, I will be four weeks older. A bit sobering.
Not sobering in the sense of getting older and closer to death, but more from the wisdom perspective. If we are living well, we should be growing wiser as we age and since wisdom accrues gradually, by the end of each day, each week, each month we should be ever so slightly wiser than the day or week or month before. So now I am challenged to think: “How can I be wiser by the end of September?”
The first thing that comes to mind is to pray for wisdom. King Solomon famously asked God for wisdom and was granted it unprecedentedly. The Lord told him, “Because you asked for this—you did not ask for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies—but you asked for discernment to know what is right… I give you a heart so wise and discerning that there has never been anyone like you until now, nor after you will there be anyone to equal you.” Clearly, we won’t be given wisdom to exceed Solomon, but this story shows that God will abundantly answer prayers for this gift.
Watching and learning is another important strategy for growing in wisdom. I used to tell my sons that we must learn from other people’s mistakes because we can’t afford to make them all ourselves. We learn from others’ successes too. We don’t have to judge or comment; just quietly observe the world around us, and other people’s actions and outcomes, to access what is of God and what is not. Each evening, it is wise to examine our day to recognize what we witnessed and learned that can supplement our wisdom bank. Growing in wisdom means growing closer to God, so other gifts and fruits will naturally follow. As disciples, let us not allow ourselves to grow older without consciously striving to grow wiser for our own wellbeing and that of all of those around us.
Scripture: Read Proverbs 4:5-7. What stands out?
Call to Action: Resolve to be wiser by the end of September and examine your day each evening to evaluate your progress.
