Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1362 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Fish Story – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1362/ (Day 1362) of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...

A Fish Story

Max was driving out the access road to a lake that was well known for its excellent fishing when Jim the game warden stopped him. The game warden looked in the back of the pickup and noticed two ice chests full of live fish in the water.

Then Jim asked Max, “I see you have at least a dozen large fish in the chests in the back of your truck. Can I see your fishing license, please?” Max replied, “Naw, my friend, I ain’t got no license. These here are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?” Jim exclaimed as he rolled his eyes.

Without missing a beat, Max continued, “Yep. Every night I take these fish down to the river and let 'em swim around for a while. Then I whistle, and they jump right back into this ice chest, and I take 'em home.”

This really made Jim mad knowing that was virtually impossible. Then he shouted, “That’s a bunch of bunk! Fish can’t do that!”

Max stared at the game warden for a moment and then said, “It’s the truth. I’ll show you. It really works.”

With a big sigh of unbelief, Jim said, “Okay, I’ve GOT to see this!”

Both Max and Jim headed back to the lake, where Max poured all the fish back into the lake. After several minutes Jim, the game warden, turned to Max and said, “Well?”

“Well, what?” Max replied.

“When are you going to call them back?” Jim asked.

“Call who back?” said Max.

“The FISH!” Jim shouted.

Max looked at Jim for a spell and then shrugged his shoulders and said, “What fish?”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile on to someone else; we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A19-20andversion=NLT (Matthew 4:19-20)

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1361 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1361 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Wisdom Literature and the Messiah – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1361/ (Day 1361) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word.

Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights, and this week we finish up in the Old Testament and begin in the New Testament.

Mastering The Bible – Wisdom Literature and The MessiahInsight Fifty-Three: The Focus of Wisdom Literature Is Character, and the Most Praiseworthy Character Comes from the Fear of the Lord

Most Bible readers who have spent time in the biblical wisdom material (Job. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) will not be surprised by the topic statement. So much of what one encounters in these books is oriented to personal life skills across a wide spectrum of areas and experiences. I think it’s worth mentioning, though, since we tend to think of wisdom literature like we do the advice column, Dear Abby. It’s more than that.

One of the things that distinguish biblical wisdom literature from simple advice is inspiration. God is behind what we’re reading, and God knows what leads to happiness or regret, failure or success, life, or death. Wisdom literature shows us by word and example how to cope with suffering, character flaws, and tragedy. Instead of providing situational suggestions, it tells us the truth about what is virtuous and what is not. It doesn’t try to make us feel good about ourselves. It lays out the path of the wise and the path of the foolish and doesn’t flinch from making sure we know which category we’re in.

Since wisdom is a lifelong pursuit, wisdom literature often finds its context in the home. Parents must guide their children (Proverbs 13:22, 24; 22:6), and children must obey their parents (Proverbs 1:8-9; 15:5). The marriage bond must be protected from adultery (Proverbs 5:1-14; 12:4: 19:14: 31:10-31). The family unit is tasked with passing on principles of morality, virtue, and justice. Children are the beneficiaries (or not) of the cumulative wisdom insights learned from parents. Since the home produces adults with (or without) sound character, it is the foundation of society - industry, relationships, commerce, and leadership. It is a fallacy to assume that the culture of a nation will be virtuous without personal virtue. It’s not an exaggeration to say that human stability depends on wisdom.

Foundational to the home are its leaders’ relationships with God. A constant focus of wisdom literature is reverence for God, his laws, and his design. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Proverbs+1%3A7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 1:7) famously begins with “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

The same thought is echoed in...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1360 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomPropose To Do Good – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1360/ (Day 1360) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Albert Schweitzer, and it is, "Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few more upon it."

Propose To Do Good

During these unusual and exceptional times, we see so many people doing good for others throughout the world, and this is great. Many are helping those who are on the front lines of this pandemic. Many of us are sacrificing for those who are most vulnerable. Most are doing this for the greater good and their love for humankind. We see so many funny and creative ways that we are filling the time, and so many are encouraging. I must say, thank you for your encouragement.

Yet, there is still a segment of people, especially in the news media and on social media, that just want to degrade and devalue others. Instead of coming up with creative ways to encourage and help, they take swipes and make bated comments to attack those who are in positions of leadership. Those deluded individuals and companies want to pick apart every decision that is made. They "roll stones" in the paths of those who have life and death decisions to make.

I think about the weight of responsibility that is on the shoulders of all the world leaders, including our President, Vice President, Governors, local officials, and their staff. Now is not the time to second guess or to play armchair quarterback. Now is a time for prayers for all workers and government officials that God may grant them wisdom and guidance in all that they do.

More than ever now is the time that we follow the wise words of John Wesley, "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." Even if you can’t do much to impact others for good tangibly, more critical is to pray for those who can help who have those life and death decisions to make each day.

Let us follow the exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth."

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along tomorrow for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1359 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1359 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNo Fear – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1359/ (Day 1359) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

For many, the current global pandemic has come with a measure of fear. I completely understand, to an extent. Today, let us meditate on…

No Fear

Even without the current worldwide situation, fear controls the lives of many people. Why is this? Most fear stems from a feeling of lack of control. Unquestionably, our current global situation is one that we feel we have little control over. When you think about it, though, if each of us does our small part of practicing social distancing, self-containing, resisting hoarding of needed food and supplies, and keeping an eye out for neighbors in need, we can control what seems to be uncontrollable.

We need to start by talking logically and Biblically to ourselves and others, rather than listening to those fake demons and monsters, which reside in the corners of our mind. This is especially true when you find yourself being tempted to fear. Let’s face it, even before Covid-19, many of you were tempted to worry regularly. There are just so many situations that we could be afraid of, such as disease, death, failure, job loss, a lousy economy, relational breakdowns…the list goes on and on. One of our granddaughters was cleared from leukemia and was able to

“ring her bell” less than a year ago. Although she is now healthy, she is still in a very high-risk group. We all need to do our part not to threaten those in the world who are so vulnerable. To do otherwise is being selfish.

Living with fear is crippling. It shrinks our world down to what we think we can control, which is actually not that much. It eats away at our confidence and our confidence in God. It renders our faith less effective as we slip into survival mode, rather than maintaining an optimistic expectation of what God can do through us and for us.

Fear is a great enemy and often comes from The Enemy, the devil. We need to realize, though, we do not have to listen to this fear. We can prayerfully respond with faith. We can talk back to ourselves in faith-building ways, as David does in Psalm 27:1-6. Let me read that to you today. Meditate on it as I read it, and then ponder on it each day.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—

so why should I be afraid?

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,

so why should I tremble?

When evil people come to devour me,

when my enemies and foes attack me,

they will stumble and fall.

Though a mighty army surrounds me,

my heart will not be afraid.

Even if I am attacked,

I will remain confident.

The one thing I ask of the Lord—

the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord’s perfections

and meditating

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1358 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDo Not Lose Heart – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1358/ (Day 1358) of our trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, this Covid-19 virus has people in a tizzy, and there is so much uncertainty. Now that the social distancing guidelines are being extended at least through the end of April, this is a significant setback for most and a continued disruption in life as we know it. What advice do you have that will give us hope and encouragement during these uncertain days?”

Do Not Lose Heart!

I doubt that anyone listening to these words would take exception to the title “Do Not Lose Heart!” I am sure you do not mean to lose heart. You do not want to lose heart. You know that you should not lose heart. Although you may know this situation will be over eventually, you have a hard time convincing your heart. So you may find yourself: losing heart, or at least you feel like you may be losing heart.

You have so many plans and dreams for this year, and now they seem to be fading. You think about opportunities that may pass by or never come to fruition. You may see these current obstacles as too significant and too powerful to overcome. You face problems that seem to have no solution. You feel the pressure, you are perplexed, and you feel you are being attacked on every side by an unseen foe. You are afraid that if you are knocked down any further, you may not be able to get back up. You may feel weak, tired, and defeated.

What are you going to do?

What can you do?

Let’s start with what the Apostle Paul wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A7-12andversion=NLT (2 Corinthians 4:7-12).

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Does that sound like you, your family, your neighbors, and friends? At least does this part sound like you?

pressed on every side

perplexed

driven to despair

hunted down

abandoned

knocked down

Do those parts

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1357 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDon't Want Any More – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1357/ (Day 1357) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged.

Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life - something to cheer you and give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30,) "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health." We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22,) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."

Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled...

Don’t Want Any More

Since 2020 is a census year in the US and we should all be filling them in this month on-line, this short snippet is appropriate and will hopefully bring a chuckle to your life today.

Mr. Smith cautiously approached the door of a house, stepping over all sorts of toys on the porch. He rang the doorbell and waited. After a few moments, thinking maybe the doorbell wasn’t working, he knocked loudly on the door. A bedraggled looking woman finally opened the door, with one baby on her hip and another clinging to her leg, and two others chasing each other through the hallway.

Mr. Smith showed his badge and said, “I am Mr. John Smith, and I am with the US Government Census bureau and am taking the census for this year.” He then asked, “Are you Mrs. Darla Jones?” The exasperated woman replied, “Yep, that’s me.” Mr. Smith made a checkmark on his clipboard and said, “Thank you for verifying that.” Then he asked, “How many children do you have?”

Darla, sounding a bit impatient, as the baby on her hip started to wail, replied. “You see them all – there are four.” Mr. Smith dutifully marked on his clipboard again, and then continued. “May I have their names, please?”

Stuffing a pacifier in her babies mouth so that she could hear herself, Darla finally replied, “Eenee, Meenie, Minee, and George.”

Mr. Smith wrote down the names, cocked his head to the side curiously, and asked, “Okay, that’s fine. But may I ask why you named your fourth child George?”

Mrs. Jones let out a big sigh and chuckled, “Because we didn’t want any Moe.”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is from William Shakespeare, and it is, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By Any Other Name would smell as sweet.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+6:3andversion=NLT (Philippians) 2:9-11

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1356 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1356 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Understanding Hebrew Poetry – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1356/ (Day 1356) of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.

Mastering the Bible – Understanding Hebrew PoetryInsight Fifty-One: Understanding Hebrew Poetry Is Essential for Interpreting Psalms and Proverbs

When you and I encounter the word “poetry,” we immediately think of something read, sung, or listened to that rhymes. If we studied poetry academically, we’d learn that there’s a lot more to poetry as we know it, but rhyming is our most familiar experience of the concept.

Because we think of poetry this way, it’s hard for us to see why Psalms, Proverbs, and other portions of the Bible are classified as poetry. Like English, a line of Hebrew poetry is broken down into smaller units called cola. “Mary had a little lamb // its fleece was white as snow” is a complete line made up of two parts (two cola). That’s really where the similarity ends. The fundamental difference in Hebrew poetry and what we think of with respect to that term is that Hebrew poetry doesn’t rhyme in sound. It rhymes in thought.

This concept of “thought rhyming” is called parallelism. In simplest terms, a line of Hebrew poetry (e.g., https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+2%3A4andversion=NLT (Psalm 2:4)) can begin with a colon (“The one who rules in heaven laughs”), which is followed by another colon that expresses a similar thought (“The Lord scoffs at them”). The relationship between the two cola is the important item for interpretation. The second colon corresponds to the first in some way. The second element advances the thought of the first. There is a symmetrical relationship in the thought expressed.

This “thought rhyming” can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Sometimes colon two is virtually synonymous with colon one. Perhaps only the vocabulary varies. The example from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+2%3A4andversion=NLT (Psalm 2:4) above fits that description. Sometimes a series of cola will build to a climactic conclusion. On other occasions, the second colon expresses the thought of the first in an inverted way. For example, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+1%3A6andversion=NLT (Psalm 1:6 says),

(colon l): For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

(colon 2): but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

The two thoughts here are consistent with one another, but they are like two sides of a coin. By definition, if the wicked leads to destruction, that fate will not befall the righteous.

Grasping the range of possible ‘‘thought rhyme” strategies used in Psalms and Proverbs takes time, close reading, and careful...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1355 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMade The World Better – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1355/ (Day 1355) of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is, "Almost always, the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better."

Made the World Better

Most positive changes that impact the world are the result of those individuals who are quiet, creative, and dedicated who are not seeking the limelight. They are satisfied knowing that their contribution to society and the world is making an impact. The difference is that they care about making an impact, but do not care who gets the credit. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the world. This silent minority are those unsung heroes that continued to come up with creative ways to make the world better. Each of us needs to be like the creative, dedicated minority who do our very best in all that we do.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Romans 15:1-4)

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1354 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1354 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDrastic Measures – Meditation MondayWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1354/ (Day 1354) of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

Let me ask you. Why is it so important that during times of crisis, we take drastic actions? Let us meditate on…

Drastic Measures

As most people in the world now know, there are times in our personal lives, and even in the world, when we must make sacrifices and take drastic measures. Within a matter of a few weeks, many people’s lives have been turned upside down. While daily life for Paula and I has not changed much because we have have been working remotely from home for many years, rarely eat out or attend a lot of external activities, I realize we are the rare exception. We do have family members, including aged parents, who are very vulnerable.

The fact remains that, although nobody likes to be forced into social distancing, most of us are willing to make the short term sacrifices now so that we do not have to suffer long term. We understand how devastating this pandemic would be to the most vulnerable in our societies, and as Christ-followers, all life is precious from those in the womb to those in nursing homes.

Covid-19 reminds me of another virus that has plagued the entire world, going back to shortly after creation…That is the plague that impacts every human being, which is falling short of God’s standards for a healthy spiritual life. In order to rid ourselves of this plague, we need a vaccine that makes us healthy once again. The vaccine is the acceptance of Jesus Christ taking our place before God as our substitute. Just as we must practice social distancing to stem the spread of Covid-19, we must distance ourselves from the sin that so effortlessly traps us. We must also protect those who are most vulnerable from coming in contact with the virus of sin. To explain this further, let me share with you, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A1-11andversion=NLT (Matthew 18:1-11).

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1353 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Importance of Family – Ask GrampsWisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1353/ (Day 1353) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is:

“Hey, Gramps, with so many families required to stay home and attempting to homeschool their children, I understand that it is putting a real strain on relationships between spouses and also with their children. What wise tips can you share to help those families who are struggling?”

The Importance of Family

The current situation with Covid-19 came upon us so quickly, and no one worldwide was prepared for it. The uncertainty of the eventual outcome, and the prospect of the “shelter at home” policies lasting several weeks, or possibly months, has everyone on edge. The family has always been the nucleus of society since the original creation.

We now have a heightened need for everyone, including you, to understand that your family is important and that getting along is of supreme importance. Yes, this will require self-sacrificing for each family member and that should stem from your love for each other. The family must be a place that is safe and free from hurts and heartache. Just because we are family doesn’t give anyone the right to be demeaning and disrespectful. Mother Teresa said it best:

We sometimes think that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.

When a family sees each other as a gift from God and recognizes the uniqueness each one brings to the home, then and only then does it become a true sanctuary of peace and kindness and love and joy and laughter and patience and a bottomless bowl of grace.

One of the best places to see God’s intent for the family is found in Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians in https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Eph%205.21-6.4 (Ephesians 5:21-6:4). I’ve heard it said many times that the husband is the superior person in the home, and everyone else falls into their proper places. This is not what Paul was implying at all. In fact, there must be mutual submission to each other as https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A21andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:21) says, "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

You must always understand Scripture in context. In any organization, there has to be a person who is responsible to God. In the family, the husband bears that responsibility. As a wife supports her husband, the husband has a much higher responsibility before God....