Day 13 — Wisdom Is Supreme

“Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.”

— Proverbs 4:7 (BSB)

As you grow up, you get to make more of your own choices. What to wear. Who to be friends with. How to spend your time and money. What to watch. How to respond when something goes wrong.

That’s exciting! But it also means you need something really important: wisdom.

Wisdom is knowing how to live well: making good choices, understanding what’s right and seeing situations the way God sees them. It’s different from being smart. You can know a lot of facts and still make foolish choices. And you can be young and still be wise.

Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived, wrote: “Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom.” Supreme means the best, the most important. Solomon is saying: Of everything you could get in life, get wisdom first.

Think about all the things girls sometimes want most: to be pretty, popular, talented or rich. Solomon says wisdom is worth more than all of them. Why? Because wisdom helps you with everything else. A wise girl chooses good friends, handles money well, avoids trouble and grows closer to God.

So how do you “acquire” wisdom? You can’t buy it at a store! But you can:

• Ask God for it. He promises to give wisdom to anyone who asks.
• Read the Bible, especially Proverbs, which is full of wisdom. There are 31 chapters, one for every day of the month!
• Learn from wise people: parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers and mentors.
• Learn from your mistakes. Wise people aren’t perfect. They learn.
• Think before you act. Ask, “What would be the wise thing to do here?”

This week, we’re going to look at wise choices in some areas that matter a lot as you grow up: crushes, money, time, being online, and keeping a pure heart.

Think about it: Who is the wisest person you know? What makes her or him wise?

Try this: Read one chapter of Proverbs today. Try reading the chapter that matches today’s date!

Dear God, I want to be wise. Help me value wisdom more than being pretty, popular or rich. Teach me through Your Word and through wise people, and help me make good choices as I grow up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.