Above all else get wisdom!

Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
    Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! – Proverbs 4:7

Last night at ‘Redefine‘, our Sunday evening Bible study, we looked at the whole idea of ‘self-education’. It was a great evening, with a fun game that tied in with the whole education theme.

Mr James Edwards, one of our great volunteer leaders at Llandudno Youth for Christ, spoke passionately about  self-education. He encouraged the young people to get into reading books. To seek out wisdom and knowledge. To listen to good speakers and watch informative documentaries. To broaden their horizons. To ask questions and develop their critical thinking skills.

It was really encouraging and challenging all at the same time.

With many of our young people facing exams, it was a great evening to encourage them to do their best in the exams, but also for them to be reassured that their exams results do not dictate who they are or what their future will be.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Anon.

God has given different gifts and abilities to all of us, but not everyone is ‘academically’ gifted in a way that conforms to our current education system, where the exams call for the regurgitation of facts and figures, and so they can feel like failures and as the above quote states, they can feel like failures, but “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” – Albert Einstein.

God encourages us to grow in wisdom and knowledge. Indeed, we should always be learning and growing. The best way to do that is to go to the source of all wisdom, God himself. The best way to engage with God and learn from Him is through prayer and reading your Bible, and there are so many resources out there to help you with that too nowadays.

Another way we were encouraged last night to grow in our wisdom and knowledge was through mentoring (named after a classic greek character from Homer’s Odyssey). This is where you get people who are not your peers, but are further on in the journey of life than you are, to speak wisdom into your life and situation; or to pass on their knowledge and expertise to you. They help you to grow from where you are, to where they are by giving you insights and opportunities to grow and develop. A Russian educational psychologist Lev Vygotsky called this the ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development – read up about it here).

This was a challenge to me, to get into reading more books and also to start listening to sermons that will help me grow in my walk with God.

At Llandudno Youth for Christ we also hold another great way for people to grow and develop.

Each month we hold a free training event called our ‘Monthly Meet‘ and we cover a vast array of topics and training nights delivered by people with expertise in their respective fields.

Last month we had some excellent training in conflict resolution from the Rev Tim Hall. Our next ‘Monthly Meet‘ is tonight; Monday 15th May, 7pm at Ty Llywelyn Community Centre, and we will be looking at the whole aspect of graphic design.

Come along if it’s a topic you’d like to grow and develop in.

However, whatever you do to grow and develop in wisdom and knowledge; above all else spend time with God, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

Also, please continue to pray for all the young people that are taking exams in the coming weeks. Pray for God’s wisdom on their lives and for God’s peace to guide them.

Be blessed!