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Seeking Wisdom

Seeking Wisdom

by Rev. Alexandra Robinson on August 14, 2024


Reading:  1 Kings 3:5-15 


On Monday evening, as I was working late in the church office, there was a ring at the doorbell. As our regular support groups were meeting that night, I thought perhaps it was someone running late.  But when I opened the door, it was a young man, obviously quite nervous, who asked to pray with a pastor. He lived in the neighborhood, he said, and even though he did not attend the church, just needed to talk with someone.   As we sat down and visited, he shared with me his anxiety about school starting the next day.  He was beginning his freshman year and was struggling with making friends.  He said he was afraid that all school year, he would be alone, with no one to talk to, like had happened last year.  He just couldn’t take another year of that, and wondered if there was something wrong with him, that he could not make friends and keep them.  We talked about why people do and say mean things to others, how much it hurts to feel alone, and how to walk toward healing.  As I shared part of my own story of struggles in high school, and how I was ridiculed for my pimple strewn face and flat chest, I realized I don’t even remember those kids’ names who were so hurtful.  And perhaps that is a blessing for both of us.  Likely they have changed, as much as I have changed.  For, as you get older, you have a different perspective, wiser understanding, a bigger picture to see of who and what is important in life.  And it brings peace.  I told this young man; it is likely you won’t even remember those bullies’ names 30 years from now.  He smiled, and said, “I hope so,” and we prayed together.  (And yes, of course, I invited him to our youth group on Sunday!) 

I share this story with you to ask you to pray for this young man, as I have asked you to pray for all students returning to school this year.  Some insecurities they are experiencing are universal, some struggles are based on current trends, but there is a lot of vulnerability and anxiety in our community this week, and I ask you to pray for peace for these students.  Whether worrying about making a new friend or if they can keep up with their class loads, they are going through a lot.  And they need the wisdom to be assured, this too will pass.   

As we hear of Solomon’s prayer for wisdom in 1 Kings 3, we are reminded how this prayer for wisdom pleases God.  It is a prayer based not on what we want, but on how our hearts are aligned with trusting God’s provision and protection in our lives.  We may not know what that looks like today, tomorrow or 30 years from now, but with wisdom, we can find peace.  May our students, and all of us have wisdom of knowing what we  don’t have control over, how to manage our emotions, and trusting that God is at work for the good in our lives.  

Peace and prayers for us all,  

Pastor Alex 

About the Author
Rev. Alexandra Robinson

Hi!  My name is Alexandra, but most people at the church call me Pastor Alex.  Since I’m the senior pastor here, and the person who you will hear preaching most Sundays, I thought you might like to have a less formal biography, and learn a little about why I preach what I do!

I was born in London England because my mother was British, so I spent a lot of my summers overseas. This gave me an appreciation for different life experiences and cultures from a young age.  I primarily grew up in Houston, Texas, and one of my first memories of the states was being ridiculed for my British accent by a boy at the kindergarten bus stop.  Not only did I change my accent to fit in with the other kids, but I’ve kept a lifelong desire to ensure others don’t feel like an outcast.  When I was in 5th grade I attended a small school and found out I was the only student who did not have a church home. So I promptly went home and told my parents we needed to start going to church.  Fortunately, the closest church to our house was United Methodist, and when I sat in the pew, I looked up at the 80 year old man preaching from the pulpit and thought “I want to do that someday.”  To say the least, it didn’t make much sense.  I didn’t know much about church and I’d certainly never met a female preacher.  So although I became an active church member, I pushed the idea of being a preacher far back in my mind. 

When I went to college at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, I changed my major five times and still graduated in four years (thank goodness it was a liberal arts school!). Ironically in all of those majors, none of them was religion.  I graduated having learned the power of deep friendships and a lot about psychology.  Even as I began working as a child life specialist in a children’s hospital, that little nagging voice of preaching kept creeping up to the front of my mind.   If there is one thing I know about God’s character, it is that God has a sense of humor and is persistent.

Finally, I met a female preacher and she encouraged me to attend seminary, which I thought was a calling to do one of three things I was passionate about:  either be an advocate for children’s peace and justice ministries,  a missionary in Africa, or a children’s minister.  Yet, by the invitation of another female pastor, I worked in the local church and found my gifts and talents were better suited there.  This just goes to show the importance of people encouraging you to see what you can’t see in yourself. 

In addition, I met my husband, David Robinson, at that local church, Greenland Hills United Methodist.  He asked me out before a potluck lunch in the fellowship hall one day, and I wrote my phone number down for him on a lottery ticket. Now we have a house, three kids and two cats. You can ask him if he hit the jackpot and I’m sure he will have something funny to say about that.  He’s taught me the value of a good sense of humor.

We’ve raised our family together through 5 different churches, who have loved our kids and helped us to be parents when we didn’t know how.  Each church has taught us something new about God and ourselves, and has pushed us to limits we didn’t think our faith could go. We know the stresses of being working parents, and juggling all the things.  As my husband is an architect and I work full time too, it has not always been easy to raise a family as “pastor’s kids.”  But through these United Methodist churches, we’ve been given friendships that have become like family, been able to teach our children the power of sacrificial servant leadership, and experienced generosity beyond expectation.  My children’s life experiences have ranged from visiting with the homeless to meeting millionaires.  This year, as my twin boys head off to college and my daughter starts high school, I can’t imagine better people they could have encountered in these formative years. 

If you are wondering about who I am, I hope this has given you a little bit of a glimpse, and we will meet in person soon. Finding a church home that is the right match is an important decision, and I want to support you in navigating that path.  Check out our services online, peruse our website, read one of my weekly devotionals, and feel free to reach out for a coffee or visit over the phone.  It would be an honor to be invited into your life and walk this faith journey with you.

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