On a beach vacation many years ago, I got burned.

I don’t mean sunburned, I was burned in a very surprising way.

We were one street back from the ocean, in one of those beach houses that advertises “ocean view” instead of “ocean front.” I was in the pool with others and I saw a kite come crashing down between our house and the house next to ours. I figured I’d grab the kite and take it back to whomever was flying it.

I got close to the kite and I grabbed the string that was tangled in some shrubbery. I had the string in my hand and kept walking toward the kite. I heard a car go by on the road between our house and the ocean. Next thing I know, I hear a sound like a giant zipper zipping at a high speed and my fingers felt like they were on fire.

The car had run into the kite string and took the string with it. I was holding string that was suddenly attached to a car traveling thirty miles per hour. I couldn’t let go fast enough to avoid the string cutting into my fingers. But I guess the string was moving so fast and the friction created enough heat that my fingers were basically cauterized as they were cut.

There was no blood, but I had the imprint of the string in three of my fingers for over a month.

When something drops into your vicinity, think it through before you go grab it.

Don’t assume when something falls into your life out of nowhere, that it’s meant to be. A person, a job, a chance at something you’ve dreamed about, all that and more could be wonderful opportunities.

Or these apparent opportunities could burn you if you lack wisdom.

The Old Testament has much to say about wisdom. About the success of people who have wisdom, and about the destruction of people who lack wisdom.

Scripture consistently compels us to ask for wisdom from God. It compares wisdom to a trusted friend, a wise counselor, a treasure greater than gold. The Bible promises that if you desire wisdom and understanding, God is willing to give them to you.

There are things in life that you work for, prepare for, and hope for, almost all of the time these things will have a positive impact on your life.

But be careful about things that seem to drop in your life out of thin air. These things aren’t always bad, but I encourage you to pray, seek more wisdom, look into all the details before you pick these things up.

I appreciate everyone who reads these messages, I wish great things for each of you, I hope you experience grace, hope, and encouragement.

But, above anything written by me or anyone else, I pray you seek God’s wisdom in every opportunity that comes your way.

God knows what each opportunity holds, ask Him, trust Him, and experience wisdom.

-Tom Wise