This first week of school many children, youth and adults seek to gain more knowledge and to learn something new.  Indeed, there is so much to know.  Here’s an amazing fact: in his day, William Shakespeare could have read everything ever written in the English language.  Today, one could not possibly read everything written about a single topic in the English language; there is just too much data.  Whether perusing library shelves, filling a virtual shopping cart at Amazon, glancing through a newspaper, or surfing the internet, the amount of information available is overwhelming, perhaps paralyzing.  No longer is it possible to have a sense of mastery over a particular area of knowledge, because everything changes so instantaneously.

But wisdom is another matter.  Wisdom is a gift of God.  Gaining wisdom requires thoughtfulness, pondering, meditation, wondering, devotional reading, prayer, and even occasional time for idleness.  Wisdom is a by-product of our relationship with God. According to Proverbs 8, wisdom was present before the beginning.  When God created the world, wisdom participated.  Wisdom has a sense of humor and playfulness; wisdom can surprise us and shines with serenity.

Knowledge is crucial for any student, but wisdom fills both the brain and the soul.  I hope your school year will be full of new ideas, creative thinking, and deep analysis.  But take time for recess too.  Find space and time for reflection and play.  Hover close to the Love who created you.  You may be right where you are supposed to be.  And when you wonder what to do next, wisdom will whisper truth in your ear.