God's wisdom: Is attainable through prayer

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Sarah Ranthum

"If you were wise, you would keep your faith out of your job." "It would be wise to agree with your teacher on that paper." "If you were wise, you would use my answers to finish that project faster."

If you were wise, you would be "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).

I'm reminded of a song I used to hear on the Sesame Street program: "one of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong." God's wisdom is unlike anything else, especially the wisdom of the world.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006) Wis 2:12, 17-20 Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8 Jas 3:16--4:3 Mk 9:30-37

When I started my job as a youth minister, I was nervous about talking to youth about issues I had never experienced myself: depression, addictions, divorce, suicide. The list goes on.

I didn't know how to talk about God on issues I had personally been spared. What would I say if someone brought up these things?

I had nowhere to turn but God. I prayed. I talked to God about it. I prayed hard.

As I prayed, I realized that God knows - I don't have to. I began to ask God for wisdom in these situations. I am amazed at how He continues to answer that prayer.

As some of the young people began to open up, I found myself sharing their experience. I may not have been in the specific situation, but somehow I knew how they felt.

I have been able to share wisdom with these young women that I know is not mine. This wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

It's such a gift to be a part of this wisdom. God calms my nerves and I find peace in His wisdom as I continue to encourage the young women I meet.

	Reflection questions • Is my job more important to me than God? My grades? A project? • Where have I experienced God's wisdom in my life? • Have I asked God for His wisdom? If yes, how has my prayer been answered? If not, why not start now?

God's wisdom is attainable. What if we rose up and asked God for His wisdom? What would our bosses, teachers, friends, and families say?

Jesus is constantly challenging us to follow Him and not the ways of the world. Look for the thing not like the other.

We must ask for wisdom and our faithful God will grant our request if we humbly come to Him.

Sarah Ranthum works with her husband John as the DRE/Youth Ministry team at St. Aloysius Parish in Sauk City. Both she and John are University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni who were involved at St. Paul University Catholic Center during their undergraduate years. They continue to stay involved in the university parish community.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

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