A Wise Owl Christmas
This is Wise Owl. He loves to learn. He writes down what he learns in his wisdom journal.
image from coloring-nicole.blogspot.com
Wise Owl also loves Christmas. He likes the smell of cookies baking in the oven. He likes putting each ornament on the Christmas tree. He can’t wait to start singing Christmas carols.
Every Christmas Wise Owls packs a shoe box full of gifts for a child somewhere in the world who wouldn’t have Christmas presents otherwise. He loves to share the good news of Christmas!
Then Wise Owl sees the packages wrapped under his Christmas tree. He dreams of the gifts he wants to open. He knows that “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” (James 1:17a) God loves to give His children good gifts, but which gift would the Heavenly Father want most for Wise Owl? This morning Wise Owl wrote in his wisdom journal…
“Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.” (Proverbs 3:15-18)
Wise Owl knows that God gives us clothes, toys, candy and every good gift for us to enjoy. They’re not bad things, but wisdom is the best of all. Wisdom is the best because it enables us to enjoy all the blessings God has for us.
God doesn’t promise that wisdom will give us a trouble free life. He promises that even in the midst of trouble we can have an abundant life when we respect Him, when we follow His ways, when we live the life He made us to live.
So how do we get wisdom? Will Santa bring wisdom if we write it on our wish list? Can we go shopping for wisdom? Wise Owl remembers that …
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8)
So Wise Owl takes some time to be still before God. He prays, “Dear God, thank you that you hear my prayer. Thank you that you will answer me because I have put my trust in Jesus.
Lord, you know that I need wisdom. I want to honor You in this Christmas season and not forget about why we celebrate. I trust You to show me how to live for You this Christmas, not so that I can get a pat on the back but so that I can enjoy who you’ve made me to be to the fullest. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen”
When Wise Owl finishes praying, he is looking forward to seeing how God is going to answer His prayer. How will he know when God answers his prayer? What does God’s wisdom look like anyway?
Wise Owl remembers something else from his journal…
“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom…The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13,17)
So as Wise Owl thinks about opening gifts this Christmas, the gift he is looking forward to opening the most is the gift of wisdom. He will know that he has begun unwrapping the gift when he sees purity, peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, generosity to everyone, sincerity…good fruit. All of these blessings come from wisdom. Wisdom is the best gift God has provided for us this Christmas!
Let’s unwrap the gift of God’s wisdom today!
Wise Owl asks you…
1. What is the best gift anyone has ever given you?
2. What is so great about wisdom?
3. How can we get wisdom?
4. What does God’s wisdom look like?
Taking it further with the kids…
1. Pray together to ask God for his wisdom each day.
2. Ask God to show you how you can share the good news of Christmas with someone else this year.
3. Use the tool…”What’s so great about wisdom?” from www.emissionsoffaith.wordpress.com
4. Wrap a box with gift wrap and put it in a central location to remind you of the gift of wisdom.
emissions of faith 
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