It Is Not Only the Old Who Are Wise

“I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.”

It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.

Job 32:7-9

What wisdom those verses share! Sometimes we automatically assume that just because someone is older than us, that that makes them wiser. In fact, sometimes we assume that just because someone has more experience in a certain area than us – that they must know what they are talking about, and be wiser than us.

I think we’re wrong to blatantly assume that just because somebody has more skills or experience or years living on the planet than us…that they are more likely to be right in their thinking than we are.

In fact, I’ve seen many people who are very experienced in certain areas of life – very wrong about things at times.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us wisdom and discernment. If we lose that connection with the spirit that lives inside of us….it doesn’t matter where we are, what we do, or how much we’ve done it – we lose a great cord of wisdom in our lives.

A little child can have more wisdom than an adult at times. An apprentice can have more wisdom than his master. For age and experience don’t lend themselves to maturity automatically. Very brilliant and experienced people can still be very immature.

I’ve seen it.

I want the “breath of the Almighty” to breathe into me. I want Him to give me understanding and wisdom. In order for that to happen, I need to do what it takes to make myself right with God. Then I will have the greatest access of all…..for God wants to speak to me. He wants to breathe into me.

May I be HIS vessel.



*Originally published at Devotional Christian - March 2011.