Looking and Seeing
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. —Proverbs 2:1-5
Two friends expressed their views on traveling through West Texas. After coming home from trips, they both described their time in West Texas quite differently. The first friend thought the drive was pretty boring – nothing to see or to do on the road in that part of the state. He found the sole purpose of the drive to be getting through as quickly as you can, to arrive where you really want to be.
The second friend saw her drive quite differently, noting the jackrabbits, armadillos, mesas, cactus and canyons, dry riverbeds and underground caverns, to name a few treasures along the way. This friend saw West Texas as a place where one can think, hear God’s voice and there’s enough room to stretch out and not worry so much about what you’re wearing or driving.
These reports on West Texas reminded me that God has created hidden treasures for His people to find and experience. Just like these hidden splendors of West Texas, there are precious jewels of wisdom waiting to be sought out, discovered and enjoyed. King Solomon was given a chance any one of us would have wanted: a wish. God would grant him anything he requested. He did not ask for money, power or fame, he asked for wisdom. Solomon knew that wisdom contained far more treasures than anything. Although there is God-given wisdom, we are still called to seek, look and ask for it from God. As the Scripture from Proverbs notes, it is then that we will have an understanding and fear of the Lord. It is then that He can open our eyes.
Looking back at my friends’ driving experiences, I realize I am guilty of looking, but not really seeing. Right in front of me, God’s wisdom sits like jewels of heaven ready and waiting to be captured and used. Too often, I “drive” through life not looking left or right but speeding ahead to my next stop. If we aren’t looking carefully, we’ll miss all God has. Wisdom is often found amongst things not easily seen, yet right there all along, to be discovered when you seek it. Today, be reminded that Jesus said, “Seek and you shall find.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
GOING DEEPER:
1. Think through times in your life where you missed a nugget of wisdom God was showing you. Why do you think you could not see?
2. Take time now to pray and ask God to give you wisdom.
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 111:9-10; Proverbs 3:13-18; 1 Corinthians 1:23-25
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