Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 34 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Wisdom from Ben Franklin – Part 2

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast.  This is Day 34 of our Trek and in honor of Independence Day in the United States, yesterday we started a 4-day series of episodes in which we are consulting one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who was known for his wisdom and practical sage advice.

Today we are recording our podcast from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio.  It was a pretty light day for work, but I was able to get out and mow the entire lawn and just finished up before it started to rain.  With the help of my brother Jack and his son Robert, who live next door, we were able to move most of the furniture into our newly renovated office upstairs.  I just have to finish by moving the shelving units that I use for my standing desks.  On the day this podcast airs,  July 4^th, I should be able to sand the floor in the “Eating Area.”  I hope to be able to put a couple coats of polyurethane on it before we head back to North Carolina for 12 days.

On our Trek today, we continue our review of the 85 practical tips written by Benjamin Franklin which are called The Way of Wealth. Wealth here is not just referring to material gain but also what truly creates a life of abundance in all areas.

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Yesterday we covered tips 1-22, so let’s venture on our trail today as we review tips 23-45.

When consumed regularly, these nuggets of truth and wisdom help us to grow and mature and to become healthy, wealthy, and wise in all areas of life. Let’s start right in:

23. One today is worth two tomorrows. – Take advantage of what you have today and maximize it. There are no guarantees of tomorrow for any of us. Matthew 6:34 reminds, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
24. Have you somewhat to do tomorrow, do it today. – Never delay what you can and should do today. Accomplish all that you can today, so your tomorrows are free for greater opportunities.
25. Be ashamed to catch yourself idle. – Don’t waste your time and the time of others. There is a time for rest, but it is not when you should be doing something productive.
26. Let not the sun look down and say, “Inglorious here he lies.” – Never end the day in shame or loss of honor. If you have done something unethical during the day, fix it. Better yet, don’t do that action to begin with.
27. The cat in gloves catches no mice. – In order for a cat to catch a mouse, it needs its claws. If we are going to do any job properly, let’s make sure we have the proper tools and resources in place.
28. Constant dropping wears away stones. – Be persistent in all that you do.
29. By diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable. No matter how difficult the task or how large the project, take it a step at a time, and you will complete it. As we said on day 30, eat the elephant one bite at a time.
30. Little strokes fell great oaks. – This is another quote that is well known and one that was repeated to me many times growing up. Even the largest of obstacles can be overcome by the smallest of steps taken over and over.
31. Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure. – If you want the future benefits of a life well lived, then you must live your life well today and each day. Work now, play later. The opposite never works long term.
32. Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. – Every moment of every day is important.
33. A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. – If you work when you should, then your reward will be time for leisure you can enjoy. A lazy person will not have the resources to enjoy any type of leisure. Proverbs 20:4 states, “Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.”
34. Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease. – If you are idle when you should be working, then you will have toil and hardship when you should be enjoying time for rest and relaxation.
35. Many without labor would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock. – This one is a bit hard to read, but it means, there are some people who would prefer not to work, but only think about working, and the only reason they really do work is because they need money to live. Learn to enjoy your work.
36. Industry gives comfort and plenty and respect: fly pleasures, and they’ll follow you. If we work as we should, then we will have all that we need. If you take the proper time for pleasure, then it can be properly enjoyed
37. Keep the shop, and thy shop will keep thee. – Take care of business every day and in every way, and you will be well taken care of in return.
38. If you would have your business done, go; if not, send. – If you have worked when you should and have accomplished what you should, then at the end of the day leave work knowing that it is well with your soul for that day. Otherwise, you will have to continue on.
39. The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands. – When you reach the point of mastery in your particular trade or craft, you will intuitively know how to accomplish more while doing less.
40. Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge. – Even if you have the knowledge to complete a job or task if you don’t care and are apathetic, then your knowledge is useless.
41. Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open. – It might be said, “You can expect, what you inspect.” We are not inferring that we don’t trust others, but we do need to be wise and shrewd in business and in life. I tend to be overly trusting of others, but through the years of experience and loss, I have learned to trust but verify.  It is the wise thing to do. Christ put it this way in Matthew 10:16, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”
42. In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith but by the want of it. – Ben is not referring to our eternal salvation here. Instead, he suggests our desire to have faith in ourselves and in others is what will drive us on to success
43. Learning is to the studious, and riches to the careful. – If we want to learn, then we have to invest time into the study of a particular subject before we can expect a return in knowledge. In the same way, in order to gain riches in life, we must be cautious that we invest in those areas of commerce that will provide a return.
44. He that by the plough would thrive, Himself must either hold or drive. – For success in any area of life, we need to know the proper timing for everything. When plowing with oxen, there is a time to hold the oxen still and a time to drive them through the field.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” In a future Wisdom-Trek episode, we will study this chapter in detail. It is fascinating.
45. If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. – This quote can have two meanings. First, if you want something done in a particular way, you may need to do it yourself. Second,  the best way to show others how to serve is to be an example of a servant leader.  One who leads through serving others. Mark 10:45 puts it this way, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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 on Wisdom-Trek.com. Tomorrow we continue our series on the path to true wealth as taught to us by Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States. We will look at steps 46-65.

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

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Thank you for allowing me to serve you today.

The journal from this podcast can be found at Wisdom-Trek.com, where we also have wisdom nuggets 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!