While watching the girls play and build towers with legos one night, Hannah Grace - not so gracefully - reminded Addi she needed to build a better foundation for her tower or it would continue to fall. Addi acknowledged what Hannah Grace said but continued building and rebuilding her tower the same way! She didn’t really change her ways or heed HG's advice. I watched Addi keep adding blocks to her tower trying to make it taller and taller, keeping it sturdy with one hand while building with the other. Sure enough, it continued to tumble. She was determined to make this work, her way, and proceeded with persistence. God so gently reminded me of two important lessons in that moment. First, was the obvious… The wise man builds his house upon a rock …sing along! (You can thank me for that being stuck in your head later...)

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. Matthew 7:24-27

But there was more for me to learn from this innocent tower building moment. It was a little more subtle, but impactful, especially for me in this season of life: the value of relationships with people you can learn from, specifically those older than ourselves who are a few steps ahead in life.

A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, Proverbs 1:5

Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. Job 12:12

How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. Proverbs 16:16

You see, Hannah Grace had been down this path before. She had made the same mistakes with her own towers. How many times did she herself rebuild towers over and over again before she learned a solid lesson? As she watched her best friend/“little sister” (#onlychildproblems) struggle with something she had already figured out, she wanted to pass along some wisdom so that Addi could avoid these set backs and get to her “tallest tower in the world” a little faster and with a little less trouble. We need these friends as adults too. We need solid friendships with people who are a little further in this walk than we are. And we need to listen to them. We need to make the time to listen. Ask for advice, listen to their life’s stories, and learn from them. I’ve heard it said like this - we need a reach up, a reach out, and a reach back person in every season of our lives. What we are talking about today is your reach up. A reach out relationship is someone you do life with closely - someone who holds you accountable and encourages you in every day life. And a reach back is someone you disciple. I have 2 wise women in my life that I would consider my reach up people - and I value their friendship and wisdom and advice more than words can say! But, if I’m really being honest, I don’t always put their advice into action - I listen, like Addi - but I may not change my ways. This is the crucial and beneficial step! If you have a person like this in your life, I encourage you to get a coffee date on the calendar, and when you sit down, soak up their wisdom and don’t take what they have to say for granted. It is better than gold and silver. And if you do not have a person like this in your life, I encourage you think about who this could be for you and start a conversation.