We know the clich?s too well. “Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat their mistakes”. “Experience is life's greatest teacher”.
We listen and almost automatically dismiss the implications immediately. I know that life today is nothing like the one my grandparents faced. The issues today are different from my father's day. The first and second century's world is as different form life in the twenty-first century as my morning does to a morning on the moon.
Can I assume everything stated is true? No, not really.
What happens if we turn our analysis upside down? I can see how Wisdom walked with me, often all too briefly. I watch as Understanding helped me pursue the right opportunity. I experience God's hand and voice guiding me; giving me assurance in times of tragedy; always letting me know how much He loves me. The problems and mistakes of the past are often ones made by my own hand. Even if I understand why, I am virtually powerless to change my future pattern. There is one alternative; look to Wisdom, seek understanding, let God's touch envelope that I am.
Yesterday I found myself caught in a decision of the past. The inadvertent and thoughtless pain that I inflicted on another was difficult to face. I did not want to avoid it because I love the individual I had hurt. As we talked through the situation, I found myself holding Wisdom's hand. We explored the pain and discussed what we could do together to help the healing process. It was not enough to learn from the past, I wanted to build and move on. God gave us a way to accomplish this through Wisdom, Understanding, and Acceptance.
I learned something new about Wisdom. I am not sure how I can fully share what I found in God, but I can tell you to “never walk away from Wisdom – she guards your life; love her – she keeps her eye on you.” (Proverbs 4.6) God is the companion that one cannot afford to be without on this journey.
