Dori Clark
Oregon writer
Roses and Thorns Blog
“Mom,” yelled my 12 year-old grandson Brett,” my nose is bleeding.” His mother grabbed a towel and held it to his nose as she pinched it.
“Tilt your head back” she said. “What happened?”
“I was signing my name.”
“And it just started to bleed?” she asked.
“The pen poked me,” Brett said.
“How did it poke you inside your nose?”
“I stuck it in my nose and it slipped.”
“What,” asked his mother?
“I wanted to see if I could sign my name with my nose.”
I laughed when my daughter called to share this with me several years ago. My grandson was impulsive, often acting without thinking. It makes for laughter at our family gatherings, but Brett has experienced some hard lessons while learning to control his hasty behavior.
I suppose it’s genetic, for I once suffered from the same character trait. See a dress – buy it – don’t consider if I need it. Bake cookies – eat six – don’t think about the calories. Perhaps my worst example is the many times I put my foot in my mouth. A friend once told me of an upcoming surgery to remove a facial mole.
“Oh,” I said, “I had a mole taken off my shoulder. Look at the scar tissue it left.”
The fear expressed in her widening eyes made me immediately aware of my error and I wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Shortly after this incident I read in Proverbs, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.” (Proverbs 4:7-8 NIV)
I thought, esteem wisdom and be exalted; embrace wisdom and be honored; that’s a far cry from wanting to crawl into a hole. Truth enveloped me like a gentle mist, refreshing and sweet-smelling. My impulsiveness stemmed from embracing my own insight rather than seeking God’s. I realized the need to curtail my urge for instant action, pause and ask for God’s wisdom. It didn’t happen immediately, but over time my impulsive actions grew less frequent and today seeking God’s wisdom is ingrained in me.
My grandson loves the Lord. Through the guidance of his parents he’s learning to think and seek the wisdom of God before he reacts.
That means a little less to laugh about at family gatherings but a lot less bloody noses.
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