Wisdom & Wonder Week 2: God’s Word is a Treasure

Welcome to week 2 of our Wisdom & Wonder Summer Reading Challenge!

Last week, we learned about turning to God and away from sin. Jesus is the real wise man, and it is only through his grace that we can turn from our sin and to him in faith.

Wisdom & Wonder Week 2: God’s Word is a Treasure

This week, we will be looking to God’s Word for wisdom. If you are following along in Wise-Up,* this week includes material from weeks 3 and 5. Be sure to let us know in the comments if you have any funny stories from the soda bottle experiment (week 3)! We are also eager to know any prize-winning brownie recipes you may discover (week 5).

Proverbs encourages its readers over and over to seek wisdom, to pursue it as if we were seeking valuable treasure. At the same time, we are cautioned not to listen to the persistent voice of Folly. Spending time in God’s Word is one of the best ways to train our ears to hear the call of wisdom over the call of folly. Yet, even with the Bible, none of us can make right choices without Jesus and his grace at work in our lives.

*If you do not have a copy of Wise-Up, we encourage you to get one! Sign up for our special summer reading Wisdom & Wonder newsletter for a coupon code to get the book at a discount from New Growth Press.

General Discussion Questions

Later this week, we’ll discuss how some of our favorite characters are listening to the voice of wisdom over the voice of folly. In the meantime, here are some discussion questions you can ask your kids (or yourself!) about any book (or those on this week’s booklist):

• How does the main character in your book show that he/she is listening to the voice of wisdom instead of folly? (hint: think of a time in the book when he/she has to make a decision or instances when he/she is asking for guidance)
• Even if a book isn’t a “Christian” book, we can still look to see how the main characters make their decisions. Are they looking to wise, older counsel or just making hasty decisions on their own?
• If you are reading a “Christian” book, does the main character seek the Lord and his Word or does he/she ignore true wisdom?
• Do the main characters obey their authorities (parents, teachers, etc.) in the book even if it’s hard? Do they show reluctance to go against what they have been taught? [sometimes, particularly in YA books, characters are shown maturing and thinking for themselves; this can look like disobedience on the surface, but occasionally it’s a character choosing right over the sketchy morals they may have learned growing up or going against a corrupt authority figure–it’s worth teasing this distinction out!]
• Can you think of a verse or passage from Proverbs (or another place in the Bible) that might help the character in your book make a decision or choose how to act? If they came to you for counsel, what would you tell them?

Anchor Book Discussion Questions

• What stories in Wise Words show characters looking to the Lord or the right authorities for wise counsel?
• In the Wilderking books, can you think of instances where Aidan specifically thinks of Bayard’s counsel and chooses to follow it? What about the time when he is with the miners in the cave during the battle: is he making wise choices there or rushing foolishly ahead?
• In The Playmaker, how does Richard listen to correction? Where does he have to be corrected?
• In The True Prince, how does Kit not listen to correction? Who tries to correct him?
• In The Playmaker, the last play the company performs is Romeo and Juliet. Read a summary of the play or watch one of the many movie editions (see Janie’s Shakespeare at the Movies for a couple of suggestions).  The two “star-crossed lovers” are clearly following their hearts, and it leads to tragedy.  How could they have managed their romance more wisely?  

Be sure to check out this week’s booklist for more books that relate to this week’s theme! Tomorrow, we’ll be looking at some resources for hiding God’s Word in our hearts. Then, we’ll discuss our anchor books in light of this week’s theme along with other stories that illustrate seeking wisdom (hint: even Superman makes an appearance!).

What examples can you think of in the books you’ve read that show characters seeking true wisdom?