When we hope in the right person, and listen to his instruction often, we should expect others to be attracted to do the same. Why wouldn’t they be? God is giving us garlands and pendants.
For they are a graceful garland to your head
And pendants for your neck (Prov 1:9, ESV).
My beautiful wife Erin doesn’t wear a lot of jewelry, but she does have that one pearl necklace for special occasions. I won’t go into too much detail about it, but hooo boy!
True wisdom is attractive. It is like jewelry that beautifies. It attracts others by holding up the beauty and blessings of wisdom’s path. If we are truly becoming wise, then others around us should see that wisdom and be drawn to it. You can’t keep it to yourself.
For example, I have been involved in churches where the elders are such wise and godly leaders that I make up stuff to talk about just so that I can be around them and learn from them! When I see a group of people loitering with one of those elders, I find a way to get myself in on that conversation because I know that “pearls of wisdom” will drip from his lips, sneak into my ears, and infiltrate my heart. I will become a better person simply by hanging out with those who are really wise.
Unfortunately there are often times when we (even as leaders, teachers, and parents) truly love Jesus but have stopped listening to him regularly and thus have little influence in the lives of others. Maybe we go into lecture mode and fail to draw others out (Jas 1:19-21). Perhaps we think our authority flows from our leadership position when the Bible says real influence flows from our wise and godly character (1 Cor 10:32-11:1; Phm 8-10). Maybe we’ve plateaued in our walk with Christ, and we are no longer growing in wisdom. Whatever the issue is, we haven’t made the effort to become biblically wise, and then we wonder why no one listens to our opinions or why our children rebel.
I agree Peter, I see it all the time! In both my life and in the lives of those around me. When a wiser person comes around, people flock to hear what they have to say. One person (B.H.) I know in particular, you spend 5 minutes with, and you just want to tell them your every problem to hope they have some wise words for each situation. I know for a fact this man, gets his words from studying the bible! It is just amazing to see this example in my life.