Another school year is winding to a close, which means end-of-year awards ceremonies, class parties and yearbook signings. Everyone has a bad day now and then (myself, included), but one of my kiddos has really struggled with making good choices at school the past few weeks. (We’ve decided that our goal for the next school year is for me to not be able recognize the Principal’s phone number on Caller ID.) His teacher kindly wrote a note in his yearbook and said that he had helped her “to become a stronger, better teacher.” I think that is code for: You almost drove me to the loony bin, but I survived.

This same kid reads well above grade-level, can run like the wind and has been on the All-A Honor Roll all year. There are numerous things for which to praise him, but his behavior in the classroom (and hallways … and bathroom … and …) is not on that list. Proverbs 28:23 tells us, “In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated far more than bootlicking flattery” (MSG). Kids need encouragement, but they also need boundaries and expectations. What good would it do him, in the long run, for me as a parent to praise his grades and other achievements but sugar-coat the behavior issues?

That same chapter of Proverbs also says, “You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them” (v. 13, MSG). I’m going to go out on a somewhat controversial limb here and say that I think we, as a society, placate our kids too much. Of course we want them to grow up to be confident, successful adults, but we err if we think that means that they can get away with whatever they want to as children.

Choices have consequences, and sometimes those consequences aren’t pleasant. If we run to the rescue every time our kids get themselves in a bind, how will they ever learn to fend for themselves? They won’t, and we’ll turn into the type of micro-managing, hovering “helicopter” parents who email or call their college professors to complain about a student’s grades (don’t laugh – it happens!).

Regardless of our age, it is important to own up to our choices, take responsibility for them and learn from our wrongdoings. Let’s focus our prayer time this week on looking at the face in the mirror.

If Lady Wisdom came to your house for dinner tonight, what would you like to talk to her about?

Learning something new can be difficult, because there are always distractions. What is taking your attention away from God today?

Some people are too busy looking at their smartphones to see where they’re walking. Don’t we do that spiritually, too? Prov. 1:32-33

Read Proverbs 1:22-24. Have you ever “turned a deaf ear” to the Lord? What might he be trying to say to you today? Listen.

In your opinion, what’s the difference between wisdom and knowledge? Why should we care about either trait?

When you picture God, where is he? Is he in a far-off galaxy? By your side? On a throne? How can you get to know him better, personally?

Knowledge is our defense against heresy (false teachings). How can we tell what is true or false if we don’t know what the Bible says?

I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, and most of what I do wear has a story behind it: it may be an heirloom, a gift or a handmade design from my kids. One of the pieces I’m wearing today, for instance, is a Möbius ring. I got it about a year after I began my doctoral studies, and I wear it almost daily.

A Möbius Strip is a band with a twist in it – so that if you trace one side, it keeps looping around inside & out and never ends. The ring is engraved with the words: “Nothing is impossible” that reminds me of some of my favorite verses, Mark 10:27/Matthew 19:26 and Philippians 4:13. In one regard, the ring encourages me to press on with my studies and not give up when assignments (and professors!) are difficult. Deep down, though, that statement means so much more … there are plenty of areas in each of our lives where we need to pursue knowledge, gain wisdom and seek understanding about what the ultimate teacher, God, has in store for us.

We are starting a new sermon series today on the book of Proverbs, and the first chapter focuses on relentlessly seeking wisdom by leaning on God. I love how The Message paraphrase refers to Lady Wisdom and Knowledge (with a capital “K”), as if they were people we could get to know. I think that sometimes it’s too easy to distance ourselves and start thinking of God in the third person – as if he’s off in the cosmos somewhere, haphazardly checking in on us poor Earthlings now and then. Instead, we ought to seek him intimately and etch his words on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). This week, let’s focus on getting acquainted with our new friends, Wisdom and Knowledge.

Pray for our pastors and their family today. Pray for strength – and even joy! – in the midst of trials. Encourage them.