Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 31 of our Wisdom-Trek and thank you for joining me. 

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Today I encourage you to Think and Grow Wise.

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 31 of our Trek. It is hard to believe that it has been a month already since we launched Wisdom-Trek. It has been both challenging and exciting to create Wisdom-Trek and to know that the podcast has been downloaded nearly 8,000 times in the first 30 days.  Thank you so much for your support and please keep promoting Wisdom-Trek so that we can all grow boldly where few have chosen to grow before.  Our purpose each day is to gain wisdom and insight which will help us to create a living legacy.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  We have had the privilege of observing fairly young twin fawns in our yard the past couple of days.  The deer seem to become less afraid each year.  These two beautiful fawns have stayed fairly close to the house bedding down in our yard. I was getting concerned that maybe something had happened to their mama, but towards dinner time, she came sauntering through the yard herself. After they nursed for a bit, the three of them headed into the small wooded area behind the house.  We all need to take time and be thankful for the little joys of life.

As we come to the end of another very busy day, I am also thankful for all the experiences and opportunities that God has weaved into my life.  Yes, it is overwhelming at times (okay, most of the time), but it is through the challenging times of daily life that we gain and grow in wisdom.   Wisdom is obtained through years of proper thinking and experience.  That is why today’s podcast is titled “Think and Grow Wise.”

As we continue our Trek, consider this: To become a wise person, you need to gain accurate, perceptive insights into human behavior and understand how this is integrated into everyday situations. You need to practice what Christ’s half-brother James wrote in his letter in Chapter 1 verses 19 and 20, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” You will need to be observers of human nature and master psychologists with excellent emotional intelligence.

You have to be willing to learn from real life experiences not just academic study. This may mean that you keep what you know to yourself but are willing to share what you know with certain individuals that are ready to think and learn.

You need to have discernment and give advice to open-minded learners. If you desire to become wise you will learn the talent of asking questions that lead to new understanding. This practice will bring a consciousness to yourself to communicate what you know when the situation is right and with those who are ready and willing to learn.

If you are to become wise you need to think about what you do and don’t do. You need to have a strong inner frame reference built on your integrity for your actions and statements.  You need to learn to “read” situations well and understand others accurately, to see through the obvious, and to trust your intuition.

You will need to think through life issues and gain a sense of the hidden motives behind the actions of others.  This practice will allow you to become less vulnerable to cons, threats, criticism, and manipulation. If you are able to learn this trait, then you can handle pressure and threats with humor. You will be able to remain stable and sustain self-control in times of turmoil.  You will desire and expect things to work well. This will allow you to feel optimistic and self-confident when coping with rough situations.

 A valuable way to understand this wisdom is to define what it is not. What is the opposite of wisdom? Here are 8 ways that show a lack of wisdom:

1. Speak or act in stupid ways, and then blame others for what happens.
2. Speak or act in ways that cause difficulties for people or groups important to you.
3. Speak or act in ways that lead to unnecessary loss.
4. Not learn from mistakes and make the same mistakes.
5. Be out of touch with what is happening.
6. Be bitter about the past and cynical about the future.
7. Be outspoken about what others are doing wrong.
8. Act in ways contrary to one’s stated values and goals, and not realize it.

How do you acquire wisdom? Here are four practical, yet simple ways:

1. Develop life-long, child-like curiosity and a playful spirit.
2. Be happy rather than hostile, no matter how badly life has treated you.
3. Ask questions, explore, desire to know how things work.
4. Learn valuable lessons from rough experiences.

Gaining wisdom can be defined as a three-part process:

1. Gaining information or the raw data is the first step. Look for the kind of data you can find in books, in the research, on the internet.
2. Knowledge through thinking is knowing or learning how to apply the information gathered.
3. True wisdom is knowing when and under what circumstances the information and the knowledge are appropriate, or useful, or even true. And when and how and even whether to apply the knowledge you have gained.

I believe that personal wisdom begins with knowing who—and whose—we are, which allows us to live by a value system consistent with that understanding. Through this, we are able to see and appreciate, the unique gifts that God has given us.  These are our personality traits, opportunities, and abilities to impact the lives of others.  Appreciation is an integral part of wisdom, for we know that wisdom does not come to us naturally.  It must be cultivated and nurtured through proper thinking.

If you desire a blueprint for becoming wise, one of the best ways is to study the book of Proverbs. In chapter 1 it lays out the plan in verses 2-7,

“Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.

 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Since this podcast first aired on July 1^st, I challenge you to read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds with each day of the month during the month of July .  By July 31^st, you will be wiser.

Well, that will finish our podcast for today. If you missed any of our previous podcasts, please check out Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Stitcher, or Wisdom-Trek.com Tomorrow we will learn how living intentionally will bring significance to life.

So, please check into our “camp” tomorrow for another day on our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you enjoy our daily doses of wisdom, I encourage you to help us in the following four ways:

1. Leave us feedback about the podcast on Wisdom-trek.com.
2. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, so the podcast will be downloaded automatically.
3. Leave us a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.
4. Spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek.

Thank you!

The journal from this podcast can be found at Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nugget, and free resources.

As we take this Trek together let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day! See you tomorrow!