Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 367 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Honesty is the Best Policy

Starting today, we begin our 2^nd year of Wisdom-Trek and will be making some changes to the frequency and format of Wisdom-Trek.  First, we have decided to create three themed treks per week which will be Motivation Monday, Wisdom Wednesday, and Philosophy Friday. Each daily trek will be approximately 12 minutes in length, so slightly longer but still easy to listen to in one session. So, let’s get started and thank you for joining us for our 3 days a week, 12 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 367 of our trek, and today will be our Wisdom Wednesday episode as we continue with our study of Proverbs with Chapter 11.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I continue working on cleaning the woodwork and just finished the upstairs hallways. I will work my way down both stairwells and then begin on the downstairs foyer and hallway.  I was able to stain the two 2-foot gliders on Monday and plan on putting a coat of polyurethane on them this week as the weather permits. We are also in the process of moving the furniture back into the parlor now that we have allowed the floor to dry for a couple of weeks.

The hawks that we have the joy of watching each day continue to shuttle food to the nest to keep up with the voracious appetites of the growing chicks. From what we can tell, there are two chicks, and they are growing rapidly but will still be awhile before they take flight.

Speaking of that, it is now time to head out on our trek for today, we will hike up the wisdom trail in search of the nuggets of wisdom found in the first half of the 11^th chapter of Proverbs.

Honesty is Always the Best Policy

¹The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.

Any type of dishonesty should not be part of our lives, even in the smallest of areas. This is especially true in the business world, where less scrupulous vendors would alter the scales or weights to weigh heavier so as to cheat the customer.

² Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

Pride is such a nasty character trait, and yet all of us fall prey to it in some area of our lives. As we become comfortable with who we truly are while remaining humble, we will gain wisdom, insight, and understanding.

³ Honesty guides good people;
dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

Honesty is always the best policy, and it will guide our lives on a trail that is true and solid just like a compass or GPS can guide us. Those who practice dishonesty will be destroyed by those habits because they will be wrapped up in the treacherous cycle of one lie upon another.

⁴ Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.

We would do well to understand that material things, including money, are tools to impact our world positively. We will not take any of it with us when we die. On the other hand, as we do use resources to impact others, then even once we die, our impact will live through the lives of others.

⁵ The godly are directed by honesty;
the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

If we choose to live according to God’s precepts, then honesty will be our trail map taking us to higher summits. In contrast to that, dishonesty and other weakness are like a huge millstone around our necks, always dragging us down.

⁶ The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

When you choose to do what is good, then you will have no fear of harm, and you will be rescued from or spared negative consequence. A treacherous person cannot be trusted because they are unfaithful and are prone to double-crossing those they are around.

⁷ When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.

Those who do not create and live a positive, impactful legacy will not have the hope of future generations carrying their legacy. The wicked feel their success will carry on, but no one has any strength when they die. It is only through the lives of others that our lives remain once we die.

⁸ The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.

Because the godly are also wise, the choices that they make each day are wise choices, and it prevents them from making choices that are harmful. The wicked are unwise, and the choices they make are foolish and cause them trouble.

⁹ With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

The power of life and death are in our tongue, and those who do not have a regard for God will choose to say things that wound others. Contrasting that, as you gain the right knowledge, you will learn to filter words that may be harmful to others.

¹⁰ The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
they shout for joy when the wicked die.

All of us like and support those who treat us and others with kindness and respect, and we celebrate those individuals when they succeed. There is a different type of celebration when the wicked die. It is joyous, but it is because there is no longer a threat by the wicked.

¹¹ Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

Citizens who have integrity will make sure that everyone benefits in their pursuit of success. All boats rise with the tide. Contrary to that are those who try to succeed by the demise of others. It will harm everyone that is involved.

¹² It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.

As is mentioned in several of the Proverbs, people who are foolish show their foolishness by talking too much. In doing so, they inevitably end up hurting others with their dismissive talk. A person who is wise and sensible will refrain from talking, especially when it is not necessary.

¹³ A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

A person who loves to talk will also be a person who gossips about others. In doing so, they do not have the discernment of when not to share the secrets of others, even their friends. Someone who is worthy of trust can be counted on not to break the confidence of anyone else.

¹⁴ Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.

Regardless of whether it is a family, business, or an entire country, if the leaders are not wise, then it will be destroyed from within. That is why it is good in all situations to take the advice of those who are wise and discerning.

¹⁵ There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

Borrowing for yourself is usually not a good idea. We justify it for all sorts of reasons, but it would be best if we do not borrow money and live within our means. It is completely risky and unwise to put up collateral or guarantee a debt for anyone else. If they cannot afford to borrow money themselves, then you should not put yourself at risk. They need to wait until they can afford it.

¹⁶ A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.

It is always best to be kind and have grace toward others. When you do, others will respect you. If you are not kind to others, then even if you are able to gain wealth, you will be missing out on the blessing of also gaining respect.

We have found so many nuggets on our trail today.  Take the time to savor them, chew them slowly, and allow them to permeate your life.

I would challenge you as we are starting a new month to take the Proverbs 30-day challenge with me. For each day of June, read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. On day 30 read the final two chapters.

I have made this practice a habit, which I have repeated every month for most of my adult life. I can say without hesitation that this single habit has done more for me in gaining wisdom, insight, and understanding in life that any other single habit.

In less than five minutes per day, you can take your daily wisdom supplements, which if repeated each day will make you healthy, wealthy, and wise. It has certainly worked for me, and it will work for you also.

Let me know if you accept my challenge at guthrie@venturecg.com Our next trek will be Philosophy Friday where I will begin a series on the seasons of life, so encourage your friends and family to join us. Then come along on Friday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our trek for today. As you enjoy your dose of wisdom, we ask you to help us grow Wisdom-Trek by sharing with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person and invite them to come along with us each day. Don’t forget to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeart Radio, and Google Play, so each trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

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