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Generational Pearls of Wisdom
Job 12:12, Genesis 24:1, 25:7

     This is our third and final message on the theme of wisdom.  The first week focused on the Serenity Prayer; the second week featured children’s Golden Books; and this Sunday, which is two days before Grandparents’ Day, we’ll look at pearls of wisdom that come from older generations. 
      I was blessed to know my grandparents on both sides of my family, Gordon and Laura Malone and Roland and Elizabeth Bean.  These four people who loved me were amazing sources of wisdom for me, both as a child and on into my adult years.  They helped shape my character in two ways.  I learned a great deal from them by simply observing them in their everyday life.  I saw how they lived their values and kept their promises.  I watched them work hard, but also relax and enjoy the simple things in life.  I paid attention to how they treated others, and what they might say later about them in the privacy of their home.  I saw each one grow older; they coped with pain, the loss of a spouse, carrying on alone, becoming homebound and eventually more dependent on others to care for them.  If you had (or have) grandparents, and they’ve been able to be part of your life, how much wisdom have you gained by observing them?    
      I know that my grandparents served as role models for me, without saying a word, but they also shaped me by sharing their knowledge and experiences with me.  None of them went beyond high school, but they knew plenty.  I learned how to properly hold a hammer, position a nail, and pound it into a piece of wood.  I was taught how to bake, knead dough for a flaky pie crust, and double recipes so there was plenty to share with others.  I can also gut a fish, prepare it, and cook it in an iron skillet.  There are so many nature lessons I fondly recall.  Looking up at the night sky as I sat on my grandfather’s lap, I learned about star constellations and different kinds of cloud formations.  I learned to feel awe rather than fear when I sat on the patio watching a mighty storm roll in with loud rumbles of thunder and sudden bolts of lightning.  I cannot begin to catalogue the knowledge my grandparents passed on to me, but I know it’s given me a good foundation in life.     
       What’s also stayed with me over the years has been their advice.  Each one of them offered me guidance; taken all together their accumulated wisdom covered a broad spectrum of important wisdom.  They said things that made me think.  Sometimes they told me a story and within it was a lesson that went right to the worry or problem I was going through.  As I got older, though, they wouldn’t necessarily offer advice… instead they’d leave me with a question.   I didn’t like that very much because I’d come to them for an answer; instead, they handed it back to me so I could wrestle with it.  I had to grow up some before I learned the value of sitting with a question.  When I took the time to look at the situation from different sides, and didn’t let emotions or bias rule me, I usually saw a solution.  Over time I gained more confidence in myself.   
     For anyone who likes to give advice, or help someone mull over a problem, it’s good to be reminded of the value of asking questions.  People often know the best solution, or the right direction to go in before they start the conversation.  A well-formed question can lead people toward the straightest path to their answer.      
       For some time now I haven’t had a grandparent who is a phone call or car ride away, but I’m grateful for my memories and the foundation of knowledge they laid down for me.  I’ve realized as the years pass that they also bequeathed wisdom to me through time-tested words of advice.  These are common expressions that teach a lesson or point us to important truths.   If we follow them, we’re wise; but if we don’t, we’ve at least been warned!  See how many of these you know and use and think about the people who may have first said them to you!
       Don’t judge a book by its cover.  Birds of a feather flock together. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The pen is mightier than the sword. You can’t make an omelet without cracking some eggs.  If you snooze you lose. Laughter is the best medicine. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Any job worth doing is worth doing right. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Actions speak louder than words. Better late, than never.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The early bird catches the worm. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Honesty is the best policy. Don’t put all your eggs in the same basket. God helps those who help themselves. 
       These are all short and easy to remember.  How many did you know?  How many do you use?  Do you think people would rather hear one of these simple sayings, or listen to a paragraph-long lecture?  Which would you prefer?        
       I want to stress that we all have more wisdom than we ever realize.  Every one of us can help the people who are part of our lives.  When we listen and ask for God’s help, we can help people when they feel muddled or stuck. When they know we care deeply about them they may give us permission to speak truth into their circumstances.  What they choose to do with it is up to them.         
      If you’re a bit doubtful about how much wisdom you possess, I have more wise sayings for you.  This time I’ll start the sentence and pause so you can fill in the blank. Patience is a virtue.  Necessity is the mother of invention. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. All that glitters is not gold.  Strike while the iron is hot.  No guts, no glory. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.  Put your money where your mouth is. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
        I have no idea how long some of these wise sayings have been in circulation, 30 years, 75 years, maybe more.  Over time, some will certainly drop of out of use and new expressions will become popular.  On the other hand, some wisdom has stood the test of time for centuries.  There are ancient teachers, philosophers, and theologians whose writings have been preserved; their keen insights are valued to this day, but our richest source of indispensable wisdom comes from the Bible.  It would probably surprise people to learn how often they’re quoting the Bible.  I have some examples I think you’ll easily recognize, but there may be a few you aren’t familiar with as well.        
  • There is nothing new under the sun.  (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
  • Spare the rod, spoil the child.  (Proverbs 13:24)
  • A leopard can’t change its spots.  (Jeremiah 13:23)
  • Do not cast your pearls before swine.  (Matthew 7:6)
  • For everything, there is a season.  (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
  • Pride comes before a fall.  (Proverbs 16:18)
  • The love of money is the root of all evil.   (I Timothy 6:10)
  • Watch out for wolves in sheep’s clothing.  (Matthew 7:15)
  • A house divided against itself cannot stand.  (Mark 3:25)
  • It is better to give than to receive.  (Acts 20:35)
      We all possess loads of wisdom.  We’ve learned a great deal by observing others, especially those in our family and our elders.  We’ve also accumulated knowledge across a wide spectrum of subjects; much of it is practical.  Many of the wise sayings I shared today you’ve probably known for years.  Hopefully you and I will apply them when the situation calls for it. 
      What’s equally important, though, is to share our wisdom with others.  The examples I used today were short, no more than 10 words long.  Each one was true, condensed, and relevant. As we head into next week, let’s remember, with gratitude, all the people and experiences in our past that wisely guided us toward hope, wholeness, truth, contentment, and so much more.  Then, let’s make ourselves available for God to use us as channels of wisdom.  Thanks be to God!    

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