Pathway to Wisdom
When I was a child, I felt secure in a yard enclosed by a white picket fence. When I ventured out of the yard, I met the world. When I was old enough to go to school, I learned the way to school. It was safe in 1935 to walk then. One day Mom told me that we were moving that day, and I would have to walk home from school. When 3 pm came and we were dismissed, I looked the way I usually went home. I knew that wasn’t right, I turned the other way. Where was our new home? It is one thing to have Dad or Mom nearby, but another matter, to be all alone on the street and find home.
A feeling of lost-ness and despair came over me. I shrugged away thoughts of never finding home where my two younger brothers were and my Mom. Eventually a teacher, who knew the situation, put me on the right path to home. When I found the Water Tower Park, (Clinton, OK) I found our home street and our ‘brown house’. What a relief. What joy I felt as tears streamed down my face. I ran the last part of the way, sure of the welcoming arms. Home!
When I see little baby feet – in pictures and a newborn baby now, I wonder in awe. I praise God for His marvelous creation of feet. The feet that follow different paths in life on easy paths or rocky paths, shod with shoes or barefoot. Mother sent me to the store to buy a loaf of bread when there wasn’t time to bake. I clutched the dime in my hands and when I came to the short cut down the hill, I knew the sun-hot red dirt wouldn’t be easy to cross in my bare feet. That thought hastened my steps. Large red ants threatened to bite me, and I now recognized the large sized sticker plants. There were dangers all the way to the grocery store.
The feet of Abraham carried him as he travelled many miles according to God’s bidding. The feet of Moses as he led the Children of Israel in the Wilderness followed the leading of the cloud and the pillar of fire. The feet of refugees through the ages from natural disasters and war as the people fled to other.
From the time we begin to learn to walk, we follow in the footsteps of others. We depend on those close to us to not lose their way as we follow. Each parent, at one time or another, looks into the faces of their little ones and see the absolute trust and love in their eyes. How can we but pray for God’s wisdom and His strength to lead our children wisely.
Last night I took a sheaf of letters that Mother wrote during the 70’s. Each letter spoke of the path she has chosen in life. Her letters, typewritten, on paper that is now fragile, speak her heart. Several times her handwriting intrigued me…and in one letter she quoted this scripture and asked me to read it: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18
Her writing reveals a heart of peace – one that found joy in life around her – from those who were toddlers in the faith and those who made great strides in God’s Kingdom. Her feet carried her about as walked the two miles to school, to piano lessons and to church. Her feet carried her to college to learn, and down the aisle for a 50 year long happy marriage.
How many miles did she walk to care for her children, and when they left, her steps did not cease. How many pans of rolls, kettles of soup, aya (custard) pies, cinnamon rolls, cookies, chicken casseroles came from her kitchen to warm the hearts of those who needed encouragement? How many hours did she spend prettying God’s Garden, so she would have flowers to give ‘shut-ins’? How many hours did she practice the piano to give music to her church family, in weddings or funerals?
She taught me how to walk and she taught me the paths of peace and servanthood by being considerate and submissive. And she left me a letter, saying read this, James 3:17-18. As steps began to falter and slow, we know that we are almost home. We know the One who has led us all the way – opens His arms to welcome us.
The pathway to wisdom is learning to walk hand in hand with Jesus our Lord. Straying from that pathway leads to destruction, chaos and fear.
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, Proverbs 3:13
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Proverbs 4:5
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. Proverbs 5:1
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16
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