Proverbs 2:1–6
We often speak about how connected we are as a human society due to technology and various forms of communication — social media, walkie-talkie messaging, and video chats to name a few. The converse of that is equally true; we feel isolated in the midst of these virtual relationships and contrived communal spaces.
Within our Loma Linda University Health context, this feeling of aloneness may be exacerbated by the pursuit of academic excellence, by the pressure to meet deadlines, to raise satisfaction scores, to stay within the budget or to meet compliance regulations internally and externally.
We experience this together in a multicultural, multi-faith, multigenerational milieu. How can we effectively meet our organizational mission? Where can we glean wisdom to navigate this 2018–2019 academic year? I think one of the ways to accomplish this is to connect, listen and explore our shared human experiences.
A continuing source of wisdom for me has been the scriptures, especially the book of Proverbs. In the second chapter, we encounter words of prudence from a father to a son, imploring him to “receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding.” —Proverbs 2:1-2
I remember as a teen and young adult receiving counsel from my mother, grandmother, aunt or any other adult. My automatic response was, “I know, I know.”
On one occasion my Mom pointed out the importance of accepting the unsolicited wisdom because she said I didn’t know when it would come in handy. Those were indeed words to live by. Developing curiosity and seeking to learn from others creates a climate to receive and share wisdom. Those early experiences of listening to people who were older than I have contributed to the person I am today. Wisdom is something to be pursued, treasured, remembered and passed to others.
The person who intentionally seeks wisdom will not be disappointed. According to the father in Proverbs 2, there are so many dividends in searching for wisdom — a direct path to God, protection from temptation and evil, and a pleasant life.
While we grapple with how to provide quality healthcare, remain on mission, or prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals or researchers, it is my hope that we don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from each other. There is much wisdom lurking in our classrooms, labs, offices and hallways.
I hope you will join me in seeking it out. At a minimum, I am sure that we will discover together from the book of Proverbs that the father was right: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” —Proverbs 2:6
—Dilys Brooks, MDiv, is campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.
