Wisdom-Trek ©

Creating a Legacy ™

Popularity vs. Integrity

by Leave a Comment

In our previous Wisdom Note, we explored 9 signposts for new beginnings. These bits of wisdom help us to live a rich and satisfying life while creating a living legacy. If you miss any of our Wisdom Notes please go to the blog to read past newsletters.

As we head out on our trek for this week, It is very important that we have the utmost integrity in all of our interactions with everyone we meet. In a world of moral relativism and situational ethics where success and popularity are more important than keeping your word, it is important that we understand the difference between.

Popularity and Integrity

In the current polarized political climate in our country, the distinction between popularity and integrity is more important than ever. Although I do not like to generalize, most politicians and political candidates will say and do just about anything to persuade us to support them. The thinly veiled rhetoric leaves us confused as to what the truth really is. Most of the modern news outlets also contribute negatively to what actually is the truth. We should not get caught up in this same cycle in our own lives. The question to ask is, “Are popularity and success mutually exclusive with integrity?”

While it is difficult to see it in many areas of our current world, I would propose that true integrity is the very backbone of true popularity and success. If I could teach only one value to live by, it would be this…Popularity and success will come and go, but integrity is forever. Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, whether or not anyone is watching. It takes having the courage to do the right thing, no matter what the consequences will be. Building a reputation of integrity takes years, but it takes only a second to lose. So, never allow yourself to ever do anything that would damage your integrity.

We live in a world where integrity isn’t talked about nearly enough. We live in a world where “the end justifies the means” has become an acceptable school of thought for far too many. Salespeople overpromise and under deliver, all in the name of making their quota for the month. Applicants exaggerate in job interviews because they desperately need a job. CEOs overstate their projected earnings because they don’t want the board of directors to replace them. Entrepreneurs overstate their financial strength because they want the highest valuation possible from an investor. Investors understate a company’s value to negotiate a lower valuation in a deal. Customer service representatives cover up a mistake they made because they are afraid the client will leave them. Employees call in “sick” because they don’t have any more paid time off when they actually just need to get their Christmas shopping done. The list could go on and on, and in each case, the person committing the act of dishonesty told themselves they had a perfectly valid reason why the end result justified their lack of integrity.

It may seem like people can gain popularity and power quickly and easily if they are willing to cut corners and act without the constraints of morality. Dishonesty may provide instant gratification at the moment, but it will never last. I can think of several examples of people without integrity who are successful and who win without ever getting caught, which creates a false perception of the path to success that you should follow. After all, each person in the examples above may have gained the result they wanted at the moment, but unfortunately, that momentary result comes at an incredibly high price with far-reaching consequences. That person has lost their ability to be trusted as a person of integrity, which is the most valuable quality anyone can have in life. Financial success, popularity, or power is temporary, but success and popularity among those that you have the greatest impact on are completely lost because of your lack of integrity. Proverbs 10:9, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.”

If you retain your integrity at all costs, then every person who trusts you will spread the word of that trust to at least a few of their friends and associates, and word of your character will spread like wildfire. The value of the trust others have in you is far beyond anything that can be measured.

A word of advice to those who are striving for a reputation of integrity, even if a person appears to be popular and/or successful, avoid those who are not trustworthy. Do not associate with them. Do not make excuses for them. Do not allow yourself to get enticed into believing that “while they may be dishonest with others, they would never be dishonest with me.” If someone is dishonest in any aspect of life, you can be guaranteed that he will be dishonest in many aspects of his life. You cannot dismiss even those little acts of dishonesty. This is a clear indicator that they will be dishonest in any areas of life depending on the situation. That is called situational ethics.

It is important to realize that others pay attention to those you have chosen to associate with, and they will inevitably judge your character by the character of your friends. Why is that? It is best explained by a quote my mom would say when she was reminding me to be careful of the company I was keeping, “When you lie down with dogs, don’t be surprised when you wake up with fleas.”

Inevitably we become more and more like the people we surround ourselves with day-to-day. If we surround ourselves with people who are dishonest and willing to cut corners to get ahead, then we’ll surely find ourselves following a pattern of first overlooking their behavior, then accepting their behavior, and finally adopting their behavior. If you want to build a reputation as a person of integrity, then surround yourself with people of integrity.

If you desire to live and leave a lasting legacy, you must maintain your integrity above all else. Proverbs 20:7, “The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” It could also be said that everyone you impact will receive the blessings of your integrity.

On our trek today, we compared popularity versus integrity and learned that integrity should be maintained, regardless of its cost in popularity and success. Our integrity should never be compromised if we desire to create and leave a lasting legacy and impact on our world. As we hike our next trail, we will learn the power of patience. In addition to our weekly Wisdom Notes, encourage your friends and family to also join us on our daily podcast Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Life Is Like Money

by Leave a Comment

On our trek today, we will hike on the Money Trail as we explore that the value of life is not diminished regardless of its condition.

Do you wonder what life is like money relates to? It is not about having a significant amount of money, and it isn’t about having a great big bank account so you can do whatever you want.

Value Beyond Crumpled And Wrinkled

Instead, life is like money because, barring destroying it with fire, it always has value, no matter how crumpled it is, how used it is, or if it is stained with coffee or magic marker or crayons used by a child thinking it is something to draw on.

Life is something like money in that you still have value no matter how many times you have been downtrodden or how often you have failed in your attempts to excel at a certain sport or how many times you have failed to succeed in starting a successful business.

Who You Are Matters More

The bright spot here is that your value does not come from what you have or what you own or how many homes you have around the world or any of these materialistic things. Your value is who you are not what you have.

Value Behind Bars

Even if someone is in prison for committing crimes against humanity, it does not lessen his or her value at all. To me, it doesn’t matter what criminal activity brings a person to prison. Instead, it is more about the value of the person within.

For a lot of prisoners, even when they are released, they wear the stigma of being a convict for the rest of their lives because they saw no value in themselves.

Failure Does Not Diminish Value

Many people who have failed often devalue themselves thinking that their failure demonstrated that they should never think of having more than they have had in the past.

Unfortunately, these types of people do not learn the most valuable lesson there is and that is failures are your best teacher.

The point is to learn from mistakes, take out what was done right, and then incorporate that planning and thinking into the next business or life event. I remember the story of a guy who started a small pre-cooked meal business hoping to move away from his current job that he loathed.

When this business did not produce the results he wanted, he just plain and simply gave up trying or even thinking of another business he could start that would move him to where he wanted to be. Would you say that this person devalued their ability to succeed?

Real Value Established Through Living to the Fullest

The value is in the person; the value is in the quest to move beyond that which comes easy; the value is who you are through hard times, and the value is also who you become when you surpass your own expectations. Do you want to be more like money?

Even if you are still unconvinced of your value after this, realize that in God’s sight you are more valuable than any other part of creation. Luke 12:6-7 tells us, “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

And Luke 12:23-25 tells us, “For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” 

Today we looked at how life is like money and when we realize that our lives are valuable regardless of who we are or what we have accomplished, we will become valuable. God always sees us as valuable. The lessons that we can learn from each other are also valuable, so encourage your friends and family to join us each day on our Wisdom-Trek Podcast.

9 Nuggets More Valuable Than Money

by Leave a Comment

In this note, we will explore 9 things or attributes that are far more valuable than any amount of money.

When starting a business or any worthwhile pursuit in life, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having adequate capital or money…But you have probably heard of people who started a business or organization with little or no money and then went on to great success and fortune. “How?” you may ask.
Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more valuable than money that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me give you the list.

1. Time

Time is more valuable than money. The time you set aside should not be wasted and not be given away. The time you set aside to invest in a business that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a profit can be considered money time.

How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a fortune. Time wasted can be devastating. Time invested can perform miracles, so do not spend time as you would spending money. Invest your time so that it provides wealth for the future.

2. Desperation

When you have very little money you work from the perspective of desperation. Not in a stupid manner, but in a manner that is wise. You make sure that every dollar invested produces a good return because you have no choice. It is amazing how enterprising you can become when it is do or die financially. Desperation can be a powerful incentive. At this point, you say, “I must make this work.”

3. Determination

Determination is the outgrowth of desperation. If you know you have no choice then you must become very determined. Just like a snowball gathers more snow as it rolls down the hill, so determination allows you to continue to grow when there are no other choices. You can say to yourself “If it works once, it will work again.”

4. Courage

Courage is more valuable than money. If you only have a few dollars and a lot of courage, I’m telling you, you have a good future ahead of you. Have courage in spite of the circumstances. Humans can do the most incredible things no matter what happens. Haven’t we heard the stories? From the stories of Victor Frankl or Corrie Ten Boom from the Nazi concentration camps to the heroic stories from 9/11, these are unbelievable stories of being in the depths of hell and finally making it out. You can’t sell humans short. Courage in spite of, not because of, but in spite of the circumstances is what we all need. When starting a business with no money, you also need the courage to continue on when the times are most bleak. Perform heroic acts of personal sacrifice today so that you will have a chance of a better tomorrow even when there are no guarantees.

5. Ambition

Ambition is more valuable than money. Ambition, when linked to courage, determination, and desperation, allows you to invest the time necessary in the proper activities that will produce a return.

6. Faith

Once you put into motion the first five precepts then we start to gain the faith needed to survive. At first, our faith will be weak and shaky, but the more that we move forward with confidence the more faith that we will gain. As it says in Hebrews 11:1-2, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.”

It is with faith that you start to believe in yourself. You realize that maybe you can make this happen. Your self-esteem starts to soar. These are investments that are unmatched. Money can’t touch it. What if you had a million dollars and no faith? You’d be poor. You wouldn’t be rich.

7. Ingenuity

Ingenuity is putting your brains to work. Until you are really challenged, you’ve put about 10% of your brainpower to work. What if you engaged the other 90%? You can’t believe what can happen. Humans can come up with the most intriguing things to do. Ingenuity. What’s ingenuity worth? A fortune. It is more valuable than money. All you need is a few dollars and plenty of ingenuity. Figuring out a way to make it work and not stopping.

8. Passion

What is a substitute for passion? It’s not money. Money can’t buy passion. Passion is more valuable than a million dollars. If you have a million dollars without passion, you have no life. You are ineffective. Passion is like the unseen magic that moves people to commit, to make decisions, to act, and to respond.

9. Personality

You may have to spruce up and sharpen up your own personality. You have plenty of personality. Just get it developed to where it is effective every day, it’s effective no matter who you talk to whether it is a child, a business person, a rich person, or a poor person. You need a unique personality that is at home anywhere.

One of my mentors taught me you have to learn to be just as comfortable with yourself, whether it is in a little run down home with an old friend or as a guest of someone of great prominence that you are in awe of. Move with ease whether it is with the rich or with the poor. And it makes no difference to you who is rich or who is poor. You know you have the chance to have a unique relationship with whomever. That kind of personality is comfortable. That kind of personality does not get bent out of shape. Don’t judge others by their status in life.

And lastly, let’s not forget attractiveness and humbleness. Being an attractive person with a good dose of humility is the key to creating a winning scenario in business and in life.

This entire list is more valuable than money. With one dollar and the list, I just gave you, the world is yours. It belongs to you, whatever piece of it you desire and whatever development you wish for your life. I’ve given you the secret assets. These kind of assets are more valuable than money and can secure your future and fortune. And best of all, they are all free. Remember that you do not lack the resources for success, it is up to you to utilize them.

Even when the times are difficult and you would are tempted to give up, let’s remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Galatia 6:9-10, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

Hiking with a Limp – Part 3

by Leave a Comment

In this Wisdom Note, we continue our exploration of the trails of life that help us to understand how best to hike with a limp. I love life, and each day I endeavor to make the choice to live it in a rich and satisfying way. I realize that some days are more difficult to do so. Sometimes the rough and rugged trails that we have to navigate are difficult enough in themselves, but if we have to deal with a limp, or something that impedes us, it becomes challenging to take that next step.

In order to set the stage for the exploration of our trails this week, let’s look at someone else from the Bible that had to overcome obstacles to carry on. In his 2nd letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul reveals a struggle that he had.

This can be found in Chapter 12 verses 7 through 10, “Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We see that Paul made the choice to accept his weakness, and even take pleasure in it. That brings us to Trail #5.

Trail #5 – You can choose.

While we don’t generally choose to suffer, we can choose how we respond to it. Only in our co-operative surrender does God have the freedom to mold us in His likeness. We do not stand outside of our being created; there is a decision, a will, and a choice to be made.

  1. If then we choose to be willing participants in the process that suffering takes us through, what can we discover?
  2. If we choose to expect to find God in the dark and desolate trails of our suffering, will we discover that hope and meaning is found in the midst of our suffering?
  3. How can we gain wisdom through suffering?

In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl would say this is possible and even essential for us to navigate periods of suffering well. He puts it this way, “The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity – even under the most difficult circumstances – to add a deeper meaning to his life.”

Frankl tells us just how vitally important our response to unavoidable suffering is when we choose to change ourselves when faced with suffering that we cannot change. This is when our suffering can become a tool in God’s transforming work in our lives. For Christians, it is as we remind ourselves of the purposes of God in the midst of our suffering and take hold of the comfort that He never leaves us or forsakes us that we find meaning, hope, and endurance for our most difficult times.

Sometimes suffering comes from choices that we have made in our lives, and as much as possible, we need to correct our actions and attempt to reverse those choices. But, there are other times that suffering is completely outside of ourselves, and we need to choose to endure and allow the suffering to transform us into God’s likeness.

Trail #6 – You are not alone.

Suffering will come, but you are not alone. Once we come to a place of knowing that God is with us, regardless of how we feel or what we’re going through, we can also acknowledge our need for others.

When we are going through the hard things in life, it is tempting to withdraw from others and hunker down, but that works against us. We need to look for and ask for help from anyone who can support us in our hard seasons. This may be our doctor, our counselor, our immediate family, and it most certainly should include our church family.

It is so difficult to tell others that we are suffering and yet people’s loving response and ongoing practical and prayer support is what will give us the strength to carry on. We need one another. We aren’t built to live alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Trail #7 – You aren’t disqualified.

We need to remember that we’re in good company. God has made a practice of using people that hike with a limp. If you think about it, they are all that are available to Him. No matter what our struggles are, none of us is disqualified from loving Him and serving Him and His people with whatever we can bring to Him.

Let’s not be afraid of hiking with a limp. It’s a reminder of our encounters with God and with the realities of life. Let’s choose to embrace the transformative process that God uses in our hard times and grow deeper into being His people marked by humility and faith.

As one of Jesus’s closest friends, Peter wrote in his 1st letter Chapter 1 verses 6 and 7, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

We have completed the 7 trails of hiking with a limp which were: perspective, planning, building, seasons, choice, togetherness, and qualification. This gives us what we need to know to carry on each day, even through struggles.

Hiking with a Limp – Part 2

by Leave a Comment

In our previous Wisdom Note, we looked at the story of Jacob when he wrestled with God and his name was changed to Israel. Although God’s original call to start a new nation was to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham, with Jacob, who is now Israel, the new nation started to take shape. This wrestling match left Jacob with a limp that he would be inflicted with the remainder of his life as a reminder of being set apart to prepare for and build this new nation.

As we head out to explore new trails today, we realize that it will be very difficult to take this strenuous hike with a permanent limp or other disability, so we will have to be prepared for the journey. Preparation can come in many forms, but for our this trek, let us take our rehabilitation instructions from Hebrews 12:1-3 & 12-13.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”

“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.”

In this passage, we see that in order to learn and adapt to our limps in life, we need training and discipline. This does not mean that we will completely recover from our limps or be without pain, but it does mean that we will learn to live with both and still live the rich and satisfying life that Jesus promised us.

So, let’s hike on our new trails for today.

Trail #2 – Are you prepared?

Our culture does little to prepare and equip us for hard things. We live in a culture designed to maximize our comfort and pleasure, celebrate these vanities, and distract us from what is real and lasting. If we take a look at what we’re sold by the media, we should expect life to be as easy as possible – filled with things that entertain and delight us and that ensure we live hassle-free lives.

From this perspective, pain is something to be avoided or ignored as much as possible. In reality, however, this is not how people actually live. We may be cushioned from the impact of suffering and pain for long periods in our lives, but inevitably we are forced to come face-to-face with the harsh and often crushing realities of real and unavoidable heartbreak. God may not allow us to become too comfortable. He knows that many of us will turn from Him if we become too comfortable, which isn’t good for us. Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, encourages us that going through “trials and temptations can be a blessing when they undermine our pride and our reliance upon ourselves and teach us to put our trust in God’s mercy and goodness.”

So, where do we go to learn how to wrestle with life’s challenges well? How do we equip ourselves to face and deal with life’s pain and suffering in a way that enables us to retain our sense of dignity and our faith in God where eventually we can emerge from the valley of the shadow of death in good shape? How do we prepare ourselves to be able to do this when our hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies are crushed under the weight of pain and suffering that can sweep into our lives without warning? We look for a place of hope and truth ahead of time.

Trail #3 – Build well.

We need a preemptive strategy. When you visit ancient towns and cities, particularly in Europe or the Middle East, you often see large fortified city walls protectively surrounding the area. These were an essential piece of fortification and safety for these cities and their people during times when they were under siege.

What we often fail to consider is that these walls were built during times of peace, when life was good. We need to build well when life is good. This is the time to invest in our key relationships – with God and others.

This is the time to dig deeply into prayer, worship, and scripture. It’s here that we find examples, from Jesus and his disciples and others in scripture, of suffering and wrestling in ways that bring hope and life and are firmly anchored in the goodness of God. When life is good, that’s the time to cultivate life-giving habits that will help sustain us when we are stretched. We must anchor ourselves in truly believing that God is good and that He loves us.

Then, when we are in the thick of things and life is just plain tough, there are a few things that can help us.

Trail #4 – Remember it’s only for a season.

God knows we need constant reminders of His goodness and involvement in our lives, so He has given us many in scripture and in the way He has orchestrated the rhythms of nature and history.

I have found Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 incredibly encouraging in which we’re told all things in this life have a season. They don’t last forever. There is “A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance,” (v. 4).

Nature reminds us of this truth also. We would not experience the bursting of life in spring without the seemingly lifeless winter season. No matter how long a season of suffering can feel, or indeed is, the season will pass.

So far we have explored the trails of perspective, planning, building, and seasons. On our next hike, we will explore the trails of choice, togetherness, and qualification and continue our trek with a limp.