5 Principles to Living a Wise Life

I recently read an article by Mark Murray, “’Downhill’, ‘Divisive’: Americans sour on nation’s direction in new NBC News poll”.  The article chronicles the general pessimism and gloom across the country regarding the future of the United States. 

I understand that the article was trying to capture the current political mood of a nation.  However, the article did not reveal anything new to my understanding of the general attitude that I have observed for the last decade. 

If my observations are correct, there is a consensus that there is something deeply wrong within the society of the United States.  The cause of the problem is vigorously disputed but I see very few claiming that there is not a problem.  

I see a lot of fingers pointing to problems that are “out there”.  I hear the shouting of insults from one group at the perceived source of “the problem” and the vitriol response of “the problem” back at the origin of the original insults.  Around and around, we go with hope and optimism the victim of every cycle.  We have ridden this merry-go-round of mutual destruction to the point that we sit in our self-dug holes of pessimism and gloom. 

What are we to do?

This is not the world that I want to live in.  I want this destructive discourse to stop but the question is how.  I believe that the solution that plagues is not out there.  The true problem that inhibits us is within you and within me.  The true problem is that we all lack wisdom.  We lack wisdom and we are being played as suckers because of it.

I follow a simple definition of wisdom:

Wisdom is the application of knowledge and experience to address real problems. 

The solution to our problem lies in being intentional about who we listen to and who we are led by.  We are awash in content.  Most of that content lacks wisdom.  Therefore, we are being blown all about by non-sense. 

The following are four principles of wisdom that I apply in my attempt to stop being played.

Knowledge without Experience is not Wisdom

There are a lot of individuals with credentials telling us what we should do and how we should respond.  Yet, they have never had to implement any of their own ideas.  This is not wisdom.

I was given an article of the Harvard Business Review with a recommendation to read an article.  I immediately flipped to the end of the article, which is my practice, to read about the authors of the article.  The authors were university business management professors who, according to LinkedIn, have never held a job outside of academia.  Also, they had just released a book on the same topic of the article. 

I still read the article, but I read it with a degree of pessimism as to actual practicality of their ideas.  Clearly, they have not implemented their own ideas with the consequences due their own business.  As Nassim Taleb has stated in his book “Skin in the Game”, they have no skin in the game; they bear no risk of the implementation of their own ideas.  At least, they have no skin in my game.  Their game is to sell books and/or meet the academic objective of publishing an article. 

This article provided me knowledge, but not wisdom.

In the same publication, there was another article.  It was written by the President/CEO of a mid-sized organization.  He wrote about his management approach and his experience in implementing that approach with the associated results.  He had “skin in the game”.  He has experience running a complex organization and understands how to apply knowledge to his organization to solve actual problems.  That is wisdom. 

I saved that article because it was written from the point-of-view of wisdom.  I will allow this author to influence me.

We need to be discerning about who we allow to influence us.  The reality is that we all cannot be wise regarding every topic.  However, we can be wise regarding who we will allow to speak into our lives and provide us the basis upon which we make decisions.  Our decisions should be based in wisdom.  If it cannot be based on our own wisdom, then make sure the advice that you are acting upon is coming from wisdom.  Make sure that those you listen to have “skin in the game” and actually have experience in bearing the risk of applying their own advice.

Experience without Knowledge is not Wisdom

I am an engineer.  I have heard the slur on more than one occasion that “I am an educated idiot”.  The premise of this insult is that engineers have the knowledge of engineering but no understanding how things work in the practical world.  There is some truth to this insult.  Many engineers, particularly early in their careers, don’t have the experience to know how things actually work.  They lack wisdom.  They have knowledge but lack the experience.  The career goal of an engineer is to become “wise” in their profession.

The problem with the insult is a diminishment of the need for knowledge.  There is a fundamental difference between being aware of a cause-effect relationship and an understanding of how the cause results in the effect and how to predict or avoid such a relationship.  That takes knowledge; typically, a deep knowledge.

That is knowledge that cannot be learned from a few hours of research on the internet or through watching a couple of YouTube videos.  The knowledge associated with someone who has spent years studying a specific subject in depth should be respected.  There is value in that knowledge because it works in harmony with experience to produce wisdom.

We are often too quick to ascribe knowledge to someone who can recite fundamental facts and statistics, when we need experts.  We need individuals who have devoted themselves to a field of study that results in a deep understanding of their topic.  This doesn’t have to originate from the academic world and there are reasons to be skeptical that the academic world is still providing this knowledge.  True knowledge is still essential; however it is obtained.

I find it shocking how much of the content on the internet fails this test.  There are many people spuing out content that they have derived from their own limited internet searches.  They have no true knowledge.  They find a few articles, re-package them, and publish them as a list of essential recommendations that we either need to start or stop doing.  This is not wisdom.  Why would we allow it to influence us?

The same principle applies to knowledge as with experience.  The content that you are consuming should be based in true knowledge of the subject.  Do not let Google determine the “expert” that you allow to influence your opinion and decisions.  Research the knowledge base of those you listen to.  If they have no deep background in the subject that they are pandering, then don’t accept it as wisdom.

Solving Created Problems is not Wisdom

I don’t need to go looking for problems.  Enough problems have found me.  Yet, I am regularly accosted by solutions to problems that I did not know even existed.  I continually feel the anxiety of needing to have an opinion about a crisis that has no basis within my own life or to express outrage about things, which are beyond my control.  These are problems that are not relevant to my life or for which I have no power to effect.  

Therefore, the first step of wisdom is to determine whether the problem is real or as bad as it is portrayed.  There is a lot of truth in the statement of Rahm Emanuel:

You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.

Rahm Emanuel

The reality is that most of the discord in our society are solutions looking for a problem that can be exploited.  There are many pushing a political, social, financial, environmental agenda that need a problem to achieve their goals.  All one has to do is follow the news for any length of time.  An existential problem will arise that needs immediate action otherwise there will be dire consequences and then it just goes away into the wake of the next crisis.   It is not wise to expend your energy on those manufactured problems.

Wisdom is recognizing that all problems are not real.  The question of who benefits should always be asked.  If there are people getting rich by expounding a problem and/or its solution, then you should be hesitant about how much credence you give to them in your opinions and decisions.

There are other problems that are real, but you have no practical way of addressing them.  Wisdom is understanding that you cannot solve the world’s problems.  They can grieve you, but everyone has limits to the power they possess to change their world.  We need to apply our wisdom to the community that we live within.  The level of energy we expend solving problems should be greatest at the personal level and diminishing as you expand outward.  We all have personal, family, work, city and county problems.  Those problems need wise solutions.  You have the best perspective of understanding whether those problems are real. 

The reality is that if we spend time applying our knowledge and experience to solving the problems in our personal and family lives, we will be going a long way to resolving the real problems in our greater community and not those manufactured problems designed to capture our attention.

The Lack of Virtue nullifies Wisdom

As has already been stated, the purpose of wisdom is to solve real problems.  Inherent within this definition is a necessity that one can trust the application of knowledge and experience of the wise in forming the consensus to solve the real problem for the benefit of the whole community.

The reality is that there are “wise” individuals, who are willing to use their “wisdom” to manipulate others to get them to do what they want them to do.  They are willing to manipulate their knowledge, the information that they possess, so that they can achieve a pragmatic result. 

The result of this manipulation is that these individuals cannot be trusted.

The collapse of trust in our society’s institutions is well documented; just look at any poll.  These institutions have long been the sources of wisdom that we could rely upon.  However, consider the collapse of trust in the institutions of government, media, academia, religion, etc.  The fundamental cause of these institutional collapses has been that those within them have lacked virtue, specifically individuals within them have a pattern of lying, cheating, stealing, and pursuing their own interest at the expense of others.

We need to demand more from the “wise” in our society. 

We need to stop being influenced by persons with knowledge and experience when they demonstrate a lack of virtue.  We need to refuse to vote for them.  We need to refuse to buy their products.  We need to refuse to continue to support them.  We need to refuse to give them our most precious commodity, our attention.  We need to demand virtue in all those we allow to influence us.  Otherwise, we will continue to get corrupted “wisdom” and we will continue to be played as suckers.

It might be strange to place so much emphasis on virtue at a time when there are so many unresolved moral ambiguities.  Therefore, I will keep my premise of virtue as simple as the Silver Rule.  Nassim Taleb, in his book “Skin in the Game”, defined the Silver Rule as:

Do not treat others the way you would not like them to treat you.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, “Skin in the Game”

As Taleb points out, “we know with much more clarity what is bad than what is good”.  A virtue becomes the opposite of that bad act that you do not want done to you.   Gerhard Von Rad, in his book Wisdom of Israel”, noted that the ancients were much more pragmatic in the definition of what was good or bad (evil). 

Both good and evil create social conditions; in a completely ‘outward’ sense they can build up or destroy the community, property, happiness, reputation, welfare of children and much more besides.

Gerhard Von Rad, “Wisdom in Israel”

Therefore, the person who uses their wisdom to build up our community, property, happiness, reputation, and welfare for everyone is acting with virtue.  The person who uses their wisdom to destroy our community, property, happiness, reputation, welfare is acting without virtue. 

We need to stop allowing ourselves to be influenced by those who divide rather than unite; those who create the “us versus them” scenarios; those who gain an advantage at the expense of someone else.

Choose Your Team

We all make individual choices about what team we are on.  How about we reject all those teams and make a new team?  A team dedicated to wisdom guided by virtue.   To join this team, you must start by pointing your accusing fingers at yourself.  It is the only way that I can see to get off the merry-go-round of gloom and pessimism.  It will give us the best hope of being able to address real problems as a true community.  

That is a world I want to live in.

Proverb-ish #2

These are my attempt a writing in the genre of proverbs from what I am learning by reading Wisdom In Israel by Gerhard Von Rad. Please see Proverb-ish #1 for all my caveats and excuses.

You will never have peace of mind
while someone else owns a piece of your mind.

Living publicly is living for the public.

Beware of anyone with the audacity to change a definition.

QUOTE – Tim Keller (12-5-21)

Wisdom is developed only in experience. No matter how hard they study, the graduate of medical school, law school, and business school will become truly wise in their fields only out in the open, that is, in real-life experince.

Tim Keller, God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life

This explains well the reason that I have a difficult time listening to the “wisdom” of someone in their twenties and maybe even their thirties. Wisdom comes from experience and experience is hard-earned and expensive.

Proverb-ish #1

I have been reading Wisdom In Israel by Gerhard Von Rad and have been inspired to see if I might be able to write something in the same genre. I have learned a couple things.

First, it is a little embarassing to blatantly admit that you’re trying to write something wise. In other writing, you can hide behind the interesting phrase or poetic license. There is no hiding your intentions when putting a pen to a proverb. Your intellect tends to be on display. I have found that disconcerting. My intellect is not the worst, but it is not the best. I land comfortably in the middle of the bell curve. Yet, I am still susceptible to the praise of men and the fear of being considered simple or even stupid. However, I have learned that intellect and wisdom are not the same. Wisdom is the application of knowledge to the real world. Therefore, my attempt is to share what I have learned through the years (knowledge) to my understanding of how the world works. I am more confident with this.

Second, this is hard. The whole point is to write a thought-provoking saying that conveys a world of truth in a few words. That is difficult to do. Good or bad, the process is rewarding. Attempting to write a proverb will force you to write in a concise manner. That is a good excercise for anyone working on the craft of writing. So, I will keep at it. Hopefully, they will improve with time.

I have delayed long enough. My disclaimers are hopefully sufficient. There are a variety of proverb styles. Here are my first attempts at proverb writing, presented as opposites:

Opinion rough hewn, set aside as complete.
Thinking continually crafting, refined through time.

Quick retorts, snide remarks, talking points, pass for understanding.
Accurate articulation of an opposing view, true knowledge.

Division and hurt excused by single-minded purpose.
A wake of kindness, people as primary, purposed defined.

Curiousity satisfied by a tweet.
Always more to know, curiousity grows.

QUOTE (Tim Keller) – Troublemakers

I have been listening to Tim Keller’s sermon series on wisdom. He referred to his devotional book during his sermon Knowing God. So, I bought God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life. Yesterday’s devotion struck me as so relevant to today’s issues that I wanted to share it. It is hard to make a case that our culture is getting wiser.

THE TROUBLEMAKER. Another kind of fool is the troublemaker. The mark of this person is constant conflict (Prov. 6:14). This is the opposite of the peacemaker (Matt. 5:9), the bridge builder whose careful, gracious answers (Prov. 15:1) disarm and defuse tensions. The troublemaker instead stirs them up. This is not the person who disturbs the false peace with an insistence on honesty. Rather, this is someone who always feels the need to protest and complain rather than overlooking a slight or wrong (Prov. 19:11). When troublemakers do contend, they do not present the other side fairly. Their corrupt mouths produce deceptive omissions, half-truths, and innuendo. Their body language (winking, signaling) creates a hostile situation rather than one that leads to resolution.

Troublemakers tell themselves and others that they just like to “speak truth to power”. But disaster will overtake the troublemakers (Prov. 6:15). As time goes on, it becomes clear that the troublemakers themselves are a reason that conflict always follows in their wake. They can be permanently discredited by events that expose them for what they are. But the ultimate reason for their downfall is that “the Lord hates…a person who stirs up conflict in the community” (Prov. 6:16, 19).

Tim Keller, God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life, Page 11

Conflict Resolution: Which Path? – Proverbs 15:1

“A soft answer will turn away wrath,
but a word of trouble will stir anger.”

Imagine we have a difficult hike to make. Our destination is a community of peace on the opposite side of a mountain.  This mountain is large and formidable.  There are areas of instability, where a rock slide could sweep us away. There are vast stretches lacking any springs for refreshment.

Obviously, the shortest course will be to go directly over the mountain.  These routes are poorly marked and likely filled with all the hardship of an ill-advised expedition.  Many have tried these routes, but few parties ever arrived at the community of peace intact.

The other route is long.  It meanders along the valleys and ravines. The path is broad, following a refreshing stream.  Travelers wind past hazards while slowly gaining elevation.  

Often, the gains are imperceptible causing travelers to become discouraged and set off on more direct routes. Those routes rarely lead up the mountain.  Often, these impatient travelers find themselves once again at the base of the same mountain or a new one.

The patient traveler diligently stays on the long path with his destination firmly fixed in his mind.  The goal for these patient parties is not simply to overcome the mountain but to summit the mountain as a group, not as individuals.  The long route is the most likely path for the group to achieve their goal and reach the community of peace but it takes uncommon endurance.

I consider conflict a mountain.  Conflicts are barriers to peace and unity, just like a mountain separating you from your destination.  Conflicts are difficult with a lot of hazards which can result in even more barriers if not handled carefully.

Some refuse to deal with conflict.  They are like the travelers that never leave camp.  They sit at the base of a mountain and wonder why the conflict never goes away.

Some choose a direct route.  They say it like it is.  They don’t select their words carefully and rarely listen for a response without an interpretation.  These direct routes often include “words of trouble” that only stir up more anger.  Many, on a direct route, excuse their course as being part of their nature. As if, they had no other choice but a direct confrontation.  

In my experience, directness is not a personality trait.  The direct person is usually either impatient or selfish (unloving).  Those on the direct route rarely get off the mountain of conflict.  It is where they live.  They feel like the world is out to get them, never realizing that they are the ones continuing to raise more mountains (barriers).

Gentleness of tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it causes a break in spirit. Proverbs 15:4 

The long route is hard, mostly because it involves a lot of self-control.  Yet, gentleness takes time.  Soft words must be allowed to seep in and moderate the heart of a conflict.  Kindness has to be kindled and love often must be demonstrated through long-suffering.  Conflict resolution requires consideration, which will rarely be granted when there is a break in spirit. 

Travelers of the long route must value gentleness, patience, kindness, self-control, and love.  I don’t see travelers on direct routes valuing those same attributes.  Is it any wonder that a world valuing direct, powerful, harsh, responses is a world mired in conflict?

Conflict is not fun.  However, the mountain will never go away until it is surmounted.  If you are ready to deal with your mountain, what route are you going to take? May I encourage you to take the long way?

 Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves, each of you not looking out for your own interests, but also each of you for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:3–4

https://ref.ly/Pr15.1 via the Logos Bible Android app.

The Fruit of Deception – Proverbs 6:12–15

“A worthless man, an evil man,
goes around with deceitful speech.
Winking in his eye, shuffling in his foot,
pointing in his fingers,
perversion in his heart, he devises evil;
at all times he will send out discord.
Upon such a man, suddenly shall his calamity come;
in a moment he will be damaged and there is no healing”

I recently had an employee who appeared to be a great “marketer”. He had a big personality; a fill-the-room type of presence.  In the world of consulting engineering, it is hard to find people who like to do the cold-call marketing.  This guy seemed made for it.

He had a great resume. He had great experience.  He had a philosophy for a great cultural fit.

Yet, with all that greatness potential, I fired him.

I fired him because greatness doesn’t trump deceitfulness.

It took me over a year of trying to work with him; trying to get his greatness to flourish without the discord that continued to fester.  It took me over a year to realize that there actually was no greatness.  His shtick was a deceptive illusion.

I had been deceived by a carefully crafted resume that masterfully gave false impressions.  I had been deceived into believing that a person who taught the principles of how I try to manage, would actually practice it.

So, I endured a year of discord.  A year of smoothing down ruffled feathers.  A year of confronting and encouraging the proper behaviour.  A year of scratching my head in hopes that I would not have to give up on someone.

But then came that last straw of deception and I had no choice but to fire him without warning.  

Upon such a man, suddenly shall his calamity come;
in a moment he will be damaged and there is no healing

I always hope when I fire a person that it will be a wake up call and they will change their behavior.  However, I don’t have much hope.  I recently saw his updated LinkedIn profile.  His description of his work while under my employment is…more deception.

Therefore, I conclude that Proverbs is as relevant today as it was in Solomon’s time.  This man has…

perversion in his heart, he devises evil;

This man needs Jesus.  Without Jesus, none of us can ever experience the greatness for which we were individually created.  Jesus is the only one who can cure a deceitful heart because a deceitful heart comes from a perverse heart, which is a evil heart.  

We all need Jesus, every day!  Therefore, this man will stay in my prayers for God to do a miracle and change his heart.  The same miracle He did for me.

https://ref.ly/Pr6.12-15 via the Logos Bible Android app.

“SOLOMON’S WISH” – April 3

“In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” 2 Chronicles 1:7

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would you ask for? (You can’t ask for unlimited wishes.)

I think that most of us have played this game before.  It is an insightful game to play.  It has the tendency to reveal what a person perceives as their source of contentment.  My wife’s grandfather, Grandpa Buck, was playing this game with his daughter.  His wish was to buy the largest tractor and plow and plow the world.  He loved to watch soil roll under the edge of a good plow.  He was a true farmer at heart and that was reflected in his source of contentment.

Most of us will never win the lottery or be granted a wish so it remains a game.

Solomon had a very unique experience.  Solomon had the opportunity to play this game for real.  God allowed him one wish.  The God of all creation allowed Solomon to ask what He should give to him.  That is a big request.  I think that it is a revealing request.  I think that what he chose revealed his greatest insecurity at the time.  His father, David, said of Solomon, “my son, whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God.”  David understood that the construction of the temple was going to be a significant challenge for any person and particularly for a person who was young and inexperienced.  Solomon was probably more aware of the challenge than most as he walked through the large quantities of building materials that his father had stored up and the number of craftsmen that were awaiting his command.

What would you ask for if you had such a challenge as Solomon’s?

Solomon asked for “wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?”  That request makes sense from a person who has just become king and has the task of constructing a temple for God and is probably insecure in his abilities.  We also need to remember that the transition from David to Solomon was not without a challenge from his brother Adonijah.

I wonder if Solomon wasted his wish.  I realize that God blessed his wish and his wish was much better than many other things that he could have asked for but I still wonder if there was a better wish that he could have made.  I wonder if Solomon at the end of his days looked back and wished that he had chosen better.

I don’t think David would have picked wisdom and knowledge for his son.  That is not what he had prayed for his son.  David prayed, “Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provisions.” (1 Chronicles 29:19)  David did not tell his son to seek out wisdom and understanding.  David told Solomon, “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought.  If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”(1 Chronicles 28:9)

David knew that all men’s greatest source of contentment comes from God.  Every man’s greatest need is a whole heart and a willing mind that seeks after God.

Consider if Solomon’s request would have been the same as his father’s.  The downfall of Solomon was his wayward heart.  He retained all his wisdom and knowledge, yet his kingdom was ripped apart.  The granting of his request did not work out like he would have hoped.

Solomon’s many wives turned away his heart. (1 Kings 11:3)  He did not have a whole heart for God and he did what was evil in the sight of God and did not wholly follow the Lord (1 Kings 11:6).  God tore the kingdom apart because of Solomon’s divided heart.

David’s prayer was a better request.

If Solomon had made David’s request for a heart and mind that wholly and willingly served God, I don’t think Solomon’s reign would have ended as it did.  Solomon’s problem was not a lack of experience.  It was not a lack of wisdom and understanding of the principles of governing people.  Solomon’s primary problem, like every person’s, was a divided heart.  David knew that.

Solomon thought that contentment would be found in wisdom, knowledge, and ruling his people well.  One only needs to read Ecclesiastes to realize that Solomon did not find contentment in any of that.  He concluded that it was all vanities.

David knew that our contentment was created in such a way that there is only one thing that will satisfy it.  Contentment will only be realized when it is matched with it’s maker, God.  Man’s greatest need is for a whole heart and willing mind that seeks after God.

Where is your heart and mind?  Is your heart divided like Solomon’s?  Is your mind reluctant and resistant to serving God?  What have you been asking God for?

Jesus told us that all we have to do is ask him.  Have your requests been more like Solomon’s or David’s?

May we not make the same mistake as Solomon and choose the request that matches our immediate insecurities.  Let’s be making the better request.   Let’s ask God to grant us a whole heart – a heart totally devoted – and a willing mind that will address our greatest need.

PRAYER: Lord, you know that I have prayed for wisdom and knowledge many times.  I need wisdom and knowledge.  However, You know that is not my greatest need.  You know that my greatest problem is my divided heart and unwilling mind.  Father, grant me a heart that is wholly yours; that wholly follows You; that wholly wants You.  Grant me a mind that willingly seeks You; that willingly serves you; that willingly is set upon you.  Make me a man who is wholly yours.  Amen