Series Overview
Sometimes it’s easy to know what the wise choice would be. Let’s say you’re choosing between having expired milk with your cereal or eating some fruit and a sandwich. You probably aren’t reaching for the milk! What about choosing to stay up all night when you have a road trip the next day, or getting some sleep because you’re driving first? Every decision you make starts out with a choice. As we “dive deep” into the Bible this month, we’ll discover that God is always there to help us make wise choices. God has given us people who can help us make those wise choices too.
Memory Verse
“If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives it freely to everyone + doesn’t add fault.” – James 1:5, NIRV
Week One (August 4)
Jesus Grows in Wisdom
Bible Story: Luke 2:41-52
Bottom Line: Wisdom is worth searching for.
Virtue: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do + doing it
We start the month in Luke 2:41-52. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus had just traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast and were headed home. Except . . .Jesus was no longer with them. Instead, He was at the temple, listening and asking questions. Jesus knew how important it was to gain wisdom. When we ask God for wisdom, we will find it too.
Think back to when you were a kid, playing pretend as you went off in search of hidden treasures. Remember the joy and excitement you got as you dug deeper and deeper into the clues—and maybe even the earth? Searching for wisdom, in a way, is like finding that hidden treasure. When we find God’s wisdom, its riches are infinitely more
valuable.
Week Two (August 11)
Speck + Plank
Bible Story: Matthew 7:1-5
Bottom Line: When you see yourself clearly, you can make the wise choice.
Virtue: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do + doing it
In Week 2, we head to Matthew 7:1-5, which is part of one of Jesus’ most famous recorded messages, the Sermon on the Mount. Throughout this sermon, Jesus touched on many important lessons. One of these truths was that we shouldn’t judge other people. When we judge others without first looking at ourselves, we miss out on the work God is doing in us to shape us and help us grow.
It’s easy to see something that others have done to wrong you. But when we wrong someone else? That’s not always easy to see. It’s important that we take the time to examine ourselves so we can love others the way God wants us to . . . and so we can continue growing in wisdom.
Week Three (August 18)
Rehoboam Listens to Fools
Bible Story: 2 Chronicles 10; Proverbs 13:20
Bottom Line: Hang out with wise people.
Virtue: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do + doing it
For Week 3, we head to 2 Chronicles 10. King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was now king, and the people came to ask him to lighten their workload. However, when presented with the opportunity to gain the people’s trust, King Rehoboam sought out wise counsel . . . and unwise counsel. Unfortunately, Rehoboam chose to listen to his unwise friends, which led to catastrophic consequences for him and for God’s people.
There’s a famous saying: “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” The people we allow into our lives have the power to influence us, both positively and negatively. That doesn’t mean we should cast people off and ignore them, but it does mean that we need to be aware of who we let speak into our lives and our situation. If we spend time with wise people, then we know it’ll be worth it in the end.
Week Four (August 25)
Renew Your Mind
Bible Story: Romans 12:2
Bottom Line: Never stop growing in wisdom
Virtue: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do + doing it
We wrap up the month in Romans 12:2. Paul was writing a letter to the Romans in which he encouraged them to “let [their] way of thinking be completely changed.” Paul wanted to remind the believers that God could continually change the way they thought, which would allow them to focus on God’s plan. When we spend time talking to God, learning from Scripture, and listening to others who follow God, we’ll be able to figure out what God wants to do in our lives.
Wisdom isn’t something that we find one time and then we’re done. It’s a continuous learning process that we’ll encounter for the rest of our lives. As we gain knowledge, we should want to gain God’s wisdom too. It’s not enough just to know something. We have to do something with what we know in order for it to make a difference.