Today, reading through this, I had a little bit different thought that came to mind...instead of keying in on a particular verse, I got to thinking about the chapter as a whole, and it prompted this question for me, “Where in my life am I ignoring wisdom currently?”  In other words, I am essentially asking about where I might have a blindspot.  This chapter is littered with fantastic little one-liner ideas and verses, and I could go on for days picking one out at a time, but this bigger idea is really what has me thinking...where am I ignoring wisdom?

It is true that sometimes people get lucky and end up with all of the right things happening without doing the work for prepare for those...actually, there is a verse in here about that.  But, people do win the lottery in life.  However, it isn’t reasonable, or wise, to make that my PLAN.  Meaning, I have to get myself headed in the right direction if I want to give myself the best chance of succeeding in ANY area of my life...the wisdom literature clearly teaches that incrementalism is the path forward.

For me, in thinking through the journaling I have been doing over the last couple of days, coming out of Romans and thinking about the needs of those around me, and in thinking about this idea of incrementalism applied to the relationships with those closest to me, I know the spot where God would have me go to work...in those relationships.  I feel a nudge to really lean in here.  I have been stressed with work, I have been recovering from years of knee issues that kept me from exercising and I felt like I was being strangled not being able to do anything athletically, and I have been frustrated by the challenges of raising 2 children in a blended family, one from a prior marriage and one from my current.  In the midst of all of that, I have pulled away, and I am tended toward keeping more to myself.  It is my safe place, and it is where I find peace and...wait for it, control.

So this morning, I am reminded that the best path forward is always on the path of wisdom.  It doesn’t promise or guarantee success, but it DOES align with God’s will for my life, it WILL be the most JOY-filled path, and as I think about this for me, it is asking me to open up and to be wise with my attention.  So, I will be praying for clarity on how to do this, for moments in my life to recognize and lean into this calling to really enrich these relationships with those closest relationships; for the courage to say the things that come to mind, and to act upon those little impulses for action that God places on me.  That’s my calling today.