losing my wisdom…

So, what were my Valentines Day plans, you ask? Oh, I just had a date with a surgeon. I mean, he may have had to take out all four of my wisdom teeth, but that is totally besides the point… 

(Side note: I am beyond thankful for my community; that they are the kind of people that take care of me, surround me with prayers, keep me laughing and shower me with smoothies and shakes. I mean, the people in my life are the best, and words simply do not do them justice. This Valentines Day, my love for friends and family is more than enough to be celebrated.)

Fun fact, do you know why our wisdom teeth are called “wisdom teeth”? Because, apparently, they come in between the ages of 17 and 25, a season of life that has been deemed the "Age of Wisdom." I am 24, and friends, I am far from my “Age of Wisdom”. Am I a wise person? Yes, but there is surely more room for growth in that area of my life. But, I think that the season of 17 – 25 year olds can either be deemed as an “Age of Wisdom” or an “Age of Folly”.

Wisdom is generously given if asked for it. We see that in James 1:5 …

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, 

and He will give it to you. 

He will not rebuke you for asking.”

We see a life marked by folly and a life marked by wisdom contrasted in Ecclesiastes as Solomon seeks satisfaction on both paths. Immediately, our own desires and pleasures are linked to foolishness, and a life marked by wisdom is one marked by following the will of God, denying ourselves. Proverbs is also FULL of wisdom, defining it as the fear of the LORD. Our greatest resource to learning biblical wisdom, and following it, is in The Bible.

I think that, as young twenty-something’s, it is very easy to mark our lives by folly; choosing to spend money irresponsibly, building a reputation that is un-Christ like, making choices that ultimately lead to destruction, engaging in friendships and relationships that have no purpose outside of seeking our own pleasure and frankly, giving into the idea that these years are our “selfish years”. I am thankful for this season to use selfishly, but it must be used selfishly in the right way. I can freely spend my time investing in myself, not in a husband or in children. I can use these years to selfishly spend my time the way that I want to, listening to whatever music in the car that I want to and as loud as I want to, reading whatever books I want to, watching whatever TV shows and movies that I find interesting, cutting corners financially so I can save up for a dress or blouse I want, and even choosing to eat ice cream for dinner if I see it fit. But, I must remind myself to ask for wisdom throughout this season, so that these seemingly selfish decisions are an investment into my character and my development, rather than a waste of time, talents and experiences.

So, in light of “losing all my wisdom”, I plan to gain a whole lot more in the coming years. This season may be defined as the “Age of Wisdom”, but I think that life is a continuous journey in the fight for biblical wisdom, a commitment to asking for wisdom as life hands us joy and trial.

But for now, I am fully content sitting on my couch all drugged up on Vicodin, selfishly using this time to catch up on Parenthood and eating a tub of KFC mashed potatoes, because that’s all that I can fit into my mouth at the moment. I may even go get a haircut later, just as a reward for my intense bravery.

Happy Valentines Day, friends!