Wise Council

Yesterday was a very busy day for me. I have been babysitting two little girls a few times a week for the past couple months, but yesterday I watched them and their two older siblings. So yesterday I had six children under my care. To say I was outnumbered is an understatement. 

Honestly, I was pretty nervous about how the day would go. Not because of the children I was watching, they are wonderful kids, but because of the fact that I had my own two as well. It is hard to be completely aware of what is going on when you have to change diapers or nurse an infant. 

It went very well. It was busy and loud but actually was not anything I couldn't handle. 

I used to want to have six children, then as the years have gone on and since I have actually given birth to my own children, that number has greatly decreased. But yesterday made me think that it honestly wouldn't be that bad.

And then I remember that if they were mine, they wouldn't leave at five o'clock, and it makes me think better of it. Those of you who have many children I applaud you. You are amazing. 

Anyway, what I actually wanted to share with you was a lesson that I learned this week at our Moms Bibles study at my church. We had a guest speaker whom I have loved learning from, she is such a wonderful woman of God and you can see that she is really trying to live out biblical parenting despite many trials she and her family have gone through and continue to work through. 

She shared this verse with us:

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who listens to counsel is wise.

Proverbs 12:15

And she applied it to tattling. I thought it was a great idea but really, my two year old isn't quite at the tattling stage yet. 

But after a few days with the two girls trying this out and then with the four children yesterday, I love this method and have found it easy to walk out the biblical principle. 

Jenn, the guest speaker, told us that she requires each member of their family to obey wise council, regardless of age or stature. This gives equal respect to all children and younger children are empowered to practice wisdom. 

So when one of her children comes to her to inform her of what another child is doing she first asks, "Did you give them wise council?"  If not then it is tattling and is something they are doing to get someone else into trouble and they themselves will be disciplined along with the other child(if the behavior warrants it).  

*If someone is in danger of being harmed then the situation is different and tattling is not really an issue* 

I thought that this would be over the heads of the kids I was with, as well as with my daughter, but they seemed to really understand it. They new that if they were coming to me to get someone else into trouble then they themselves would get into trouble. Actually after a single time of discussing this I found that the kids were really trying to communicate with each other and were offering wise council. It was great. 

And what a great thing to teach our children. To listen to wise council and to offer it to those who need it. It also teaches them that they do not have to obey anything that older people say to them, that they only listen to what is wise council.  

I think that it is very important to teach our children that wise is not the same as smart.  That wisdom is given by God, and God is the only one with real, true wisdom and knowledge. 

For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6

Then you will understand what is right and just

and fair- every good path.

For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 

Proverbs 2:9-10

With Him are wisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
Job 12:13

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!
Romans 11:33


J.I. Packer defines wisdom as follows:

“Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fulness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariable wise.”
J. I. Packer, Knowing God, p. 80.