I feel. . .well, how do I feel? I had a friend said once “with my fingas”. Okay, that was an attempt at humor. However, just how do I feel?

Lot’s of people in this world are suffering. Shamefully I feel it is from their own devices, yet just why are they in those circumstances?

I saw some conversation on social media about knowledge and wisdom. This thought came to me immediately. Knowledge is a tool. Wisdom is how to use that tool.

Oh, I’m quite aware there are times when my knowledge went through my thinking processes directly to action without consulting wisdom. The results were not favorable. I’ve said or done things in my early years that I still regret. This regret tells me I have matured enough to own those ill-made decisions and to weigh what I learn with the scales of wisdom before I execute action now or in the future.

There are a myraid of Biblical principles I’ve learned in my seventy-two years on this earth. I do believe the application of these principles have directly aided in the ability to apply wisdom as I’ve grown older. It was brought up at our church’s Seasoned Adults Living Triumphtly (SALT) meeting this past Tuesday.

The conversation led to the fact that several cultures revere their elderly members, yet in America, a good many young people will put their parents in rehab or rest home facilities because they feel it’s best for them. Maybe so, but how many just want them out of sight and mind?

Here comes the crux of the matter. These elderly, myself included, have acquired a lot of solid foundational knowledge over a lifetime. Most of us have learned from our mistakes. I also think if we were asked how to approach a circumstance in our younger generation we could help them bypass many issues that will cause them to stumble. Our collective thought in SALT is should we let them learn the hard lesson of experience or to we interject our wisdom in the matter.

I feel the answer to that is the sincerity of a young person that might ask. Those that don’t ask can’t be helped because, to me, this means they are not going to be open to suggestion.

So, how do I feel? I feel helpless as much as God feels helpless when his children do not ask Him for wisdom, although they may know Biblical principles. I want to help, but until asked. . .well we can pray that God opens their eyes to the value of life experiences of their elderly generation. After all, we do have a trove of information-laden wisdom to share.

God help me to be not only knowledgeable, but wise to share the wisdom gained from it a lifetime of experience.