"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." Proverbs 8:34

Many men of the world would dispute this proverb as they awaken early and stay up late each day to study the stock market and watch for financial trends. After all, many humble saints who have made God's will their first and only choice seem poor when compared to the world's winners.

But winners in what? As I wrote this devotional, two shocks made front-page news. One was the world's richest man, Bill Gates, losing $12,000,000,000. (yes, billion) in 24 hours of stock market loss. The other was one of the world's powerful people—the Prime Minister of Japan— only 62 and in a coma near death. Riches? Power? Adulation? Gone with the wind and unable to buy favor with God.

So the Wisdom of God - I call Him "Jesus"—describes the real "blessed" person who is to be envied. He or she will be found doing three things daily - listening, watching and waiting for the Lord's guid­ance and warnings that flow from the Scripture and are made real by the Spirit.

 To "listen" is to learn to decipher His voice from all others. That takes time—a daily habit of tuning out the world and tuning in to the invisible.

To "watch" is to see the direction in which the Lord is moving and learn to flow with him.

To "wait" is to cultivate a daily stillness of soul though the world's earthquakes, fires and winds try to fill our minds - and learn to remain quiet enough to hear God's "still, small voice" that will surely follow.

This is the blessing that leads to real riches—the favor of the Lord Himself. (see v 35)

My prayer: "It is so tempting just to be always running. Oh my Father, grant me a special touch of Your grace to learn how to listen, watch and wait for You."

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras