Wisdom Is Calling. Are We Listening? Series

INTRO.- Normally we think that wisdom comes with age, but not always. Sometimes it comes from the mouths of children.

· Patrick, age 10, said, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”

· Michael, 14, said, “When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don’t answer him.”

· Michael said, “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working.”

· Kyoyo, age 9, said, “Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time.”

· Naomi, 15 said, “If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.”

· Lauren, age 9 said, “Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick.”

· Joel, 10 years old, said, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.”

· Eileen, age 8 said, “Never try to baptize a cat.”

Sometimes people may have the appearance of being somewhat ignorant but may be a lot smarter or wiser than we think.

ILL. - A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. “You are hired,” he said. ”Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.” The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer nor an email address.”

“I’m sorry”, said the HR manager, “If you don’t have an email, that means you do not exist. And he who doesn’t exist, cannot have the job.”

The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 20 lb. tomato crate. He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60. The man realized that he could survive that way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day.

Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. 5 years later the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US. He started to plan for his family’s future, and decided to buy life insurance.

He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his email. The man replied, “I don’t have an email.” The broker answered curiously, “You don’t have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?!!” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

Smart man. Wise man. Wiser than many probably thought.

PROP.- Our text reveals much about wisdom; what it is and from where it comes.

1- Wisdom calls from along life’s way

2- Wisdom speaks trustworthy things

3- Wisdom fears the Lord

4- Wisdom produces good fruit

I. WISDOM CALLS FROM ALONG LIFE’S WAY

1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: 4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.

ILL.- Little Johnny walked into the house covered in filth. His Mom asked, "Johnny, why do you always get so dirty?" Johnny rolled his eyes and replied, “Because I’m a lot closer to the ground than you are!”

Smart kid. Smarter than the average kid. When I was a kid I wouldn’t have thought of that answer. So some kids or children may be wiser than we realize. If they have wise parents it could make a difference. IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ILL.- The old Southern Baptist preacher, Vance Havner once said, “If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge.”

James 1:5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

We can most certainly ask God for wisdom and He will give it. How does He give it? Through His Word. Through people. Through incidents that happens in life. Haven’t we all learned a thing or two from some of the dumb mistakes we’ve made or from the mistakes of others? Or from the good of others?