The Wisdom of Mr. Owl
The Wisdom of Mr. Owl
A Teen/Youth Devotional
🌤️ The Story
Junie Miller was having one of those afternoons where everything felt confusing.
Not dramatic.
Not stormy like before.
Just… tangled.
Her friends were arguing.
Her homework made no sense.
And she wasn’t sure whether to speak up, stay quiet, or run away and hide in the maple grove.
So she wandered into the woods, hoping the trees might help her think.
That’s when she heard a familiar ahem from above.
Mr. Owl blinked down at her from a crooked branch, spectacles sliding halfway down his beak.
“Child,” he said, “you look like a squirrel who’s forgotten where she buried her acorns.”
Junie sighed. “I don’t know what to do. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone’s loud. I can’t tell what’s right.”
Mr. Owl fluttered down beside her, feathers rustling like old pages.
“Ah,” he said. “You’re not lacking answers. You’re lacking wisdom.”
Junie frowned. “What’s the difference?”
Mr. Owl tapped his talon on the ground.
“Answers tell you what to do.
Wisdom tells you when and how to do it.”
He pointed his wing toward the forest.
“Look at the trees. They don’t shout. They don’t rush. They listen to the wind before they move.”
Junie watched the branches sway gently.
“So… I should listen?”
“Listen first,” Mr. Owl said. “Then think. Then choose. Wisdom is slow on purpose.”
Just then, Heyday swooped in, nearly knocking Mr. Owl’s spectacles off.
“Hey to the day! Did someone say wisdom? Because I’ve got opinions!”
Mr. Owl groaned. “Wisdom, Heyday. Not noise.”
Heyday blinked. “Oh. Right. Carry on.”
Junie giggled, and something inside her loosened.
Maybe she didn’t need to rush.
Maybe she didn’t need to fix everything.
Maybe she just needed to listen—deeply, quietly, like the trees.
Mr. Owl nodded, as if reading her thoughts.
“Wisdom grows in the quiet,” he said. “Make space for it, and it will come.”
📖 Scripture Reflection
🌱 1. Wisdom Begins with Listening
James 1:19
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”
Junie wanted to react.
Wisdom invited her to pause.
Listening isn’t weakness.
It’s strength with patience.
🌱 2. God Gives Wisdom Generously
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God… and it will be given to you.”
You don’t have to figure everything out alone.
God delights in guiding you.
🌱 3. Wisdom Is Peaceful, Not Pushy
James 3:17
“The wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy…”
If a choice feels frantic, pressured, or chaotic—
it’s probably not wisdom.
Wisdom feels like deep breath.
Like steady ground.
Like Mr. Owl’s quiet voice in the trees.
💬 Teen/Youth Application
Pause before reacting.
Wisdom grows in the space between emotion and action.Ask God for clarity.
He’s not stingy with guidance.Pay attention to what brings peace.
Wisdom often whispers, not shouts.Don’t let loud voices rush you.
Wisdom takes its time.
🙏 Prayer
God, help me slow down enough to hear Your wisdom. Teach me to listen before I speak, to think before I react, and to choose what brings peace. Give me clarity when I’m confused and courage when I need to act. Amen.
🌟 Advice for the Week
Practice a “wisdom pause.”
When you feel overwhelmed, take 10 seconds to breathe before responding.Journal one moment each day where you listened instead of reacting.
Ask someone wise (a mentor, parent, or friend) how they make decisions.
If you’d like, we can continue the series with Above All the Eagle teaching perspective, or Heyday teaching joy and honesty, or even a devotional where Chester Crow surprises everyone with unexpected insight.
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