Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 634 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

What Kind of Fruit Is on Your Tree? – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 634 of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series.

Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing your negative habits into positive habits. Changing habits is a result of changing the way you think.

In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.”  It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. On Saturday, we were blessed to host the birthday party for our great niece Maya who turns 4 this week. Her mom, Rebekah, lives in Columbus and wanted to have her party here so that the local cousins could also attend. With Kip staying with us for these two weeks, we were able to have all six grandchildren with us also. Since Hazel’s immune system is still very fragile due to her leukemia, she was just here for a few minutes, but it was great to have all the kids here to celebrate Maya’s birthday.Paula and I enjoy having The Big House available for all types of family gatherings, as it has been the family hub now for over 115 years. We are blessed to carry on this legacy, which we desire to pass on to many more generations. Creating a legacy is based on the type of fruit or results that your life produces. The fruit your life produces is based on your mindset. So our trek today will cover…

What Kind of Fruit Is on Your Tree?

As a Christ follower, our lives should produce positive character traits or fruit. In Psalms 1:3 we read, "They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."

Jesus also spoke figuratively concerning a tree as representing a person’s life when He said in Matthew 12:33, "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad." Jesus then said in John 15:8, "When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father."

Since your life can be figuratively illustrated as a tree, I must ask you this question, What kind of fruit is on your tree?

I had the privilege of growing up on an apple orchard where we raised a dozen different kinds of apples along with a few peaches and pears. Each year as the fruit matured in the fall, it was very easy to determine what type of tree it was by the type of fruit that was manifested on its branches. This is also true of your life. The people who you associate with know what type of person you are because of the fruit you bear in your daily living. Those in your immediate family will have a full realization of this.

Here is a truth that is important to consider…Just as a tree can’t produce fruit that is not of its kind, neither can you. In other words, you can produce in your life only fruit that is consistent with your character. No person is capable of living a deceptive life at all times around all persons. You cannot produce consistent fruit that you do not believe or embrace. 

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 633 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Strangled By Worry

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 633 of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where we are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible but also unwise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We have the blessing of having Kip, who is Harold Guthrie Chamberlain, V, one of our grandsons stay with us this week and next. Chelimo, his mom, is in the Army Reserves and has two weeks of summer camp that she must attend, and it helps our oldest son Harry have a couple of weeks to focus on his work and some other household chores. We are so glad for this opportunity to reinforce into Kip Godly values from Granny and Gramps. It also gives him an occasion to invest time with his local cousins.

We are still awaiting word from the oncology team on when Hazel’s next treatment regimen will begin. It is possible that she will be going to Columbus the day this episode is released. We do our best not to worry about her situation, but that is difficult at times. We need to leave the details in God’s hands and the capable oncology team.

As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be focusing on this topic of worry and our lesson title for today is…

Strangled By Worry

Are you a worrier? What do you worry about? Do you worry that you won't be able to pay your bills? Do you worry about your children when they're out of your sight? Do you feel anxiety about your marriage? Do you worry about your health? Are you anxious about the future because you're facing a new job, a move to another city, having a new addition to your family? Maybe you just worry because it is a habit.

· What Is Worry?

Worry is to be uneasy in the mind, to feel anxious about something, to fret. Interestingly, it comes from an Old English word that means "to strangle." 

What an appropriate derivation! Worry strangles our peace of mind and our enjoyment of life. There's a direct connection between fear and worry. Sometimes they may be interchangeable. Worry affects us mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Dr. Charles Mayo said, "Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects the health."

God instructs us not to worry, and Scripture overwhelms us with reasons for not being anxious. Let's look at an interesting incident in the Old Testament that gives us a powerful defense against worry.

In 2 Kings 6, the king of Aram (now the nation of Syria) was at war with the northern kingdom, Israel.  Every time the king would prepare to attack Israel, they would be prepared to fight him. Here is the story in 2 Kings 6:8-15, "When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, 'We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.' But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, 'Do not go near that place,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 632 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Invest Time Wisely – Wisdom Unplugged

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 632 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 Michael Levy, and it is, "Time is our most precious asset; we should invest it wisely."You may have heard the saying “Time is Money,” but do you really believe it?   Frequently I have observed that how a person views money, is how they also view time. Do you spend money without thinking about how that will impact your long-term financial well-being? What about time? How do you spend your time?

The principles of planting and harvesting apply to both. If you consider time as a precious resource, you will look for ways to invest your time so that it produces a good return on that investment.

Time truly is our most precious asset because it is the only resource that we have which is finite. You cannot accumulate time for later. You cannot buy time with any amount of money. The only way to expand your time is to invest it wisely by pouring yourself into those that you mentor and impact.

You came into this world with nothing, and you will leave this world with nothing. The only wealth that you will accumulate is the time you invested in the lives of others. Your impact will live on well beyond your natural life. If you invest wisely in others, they will also take that investment and pour into the lives of others, and the cycle will continue on for generations to come.The next time you think about how to spend your time, change your wording to investing your time. If you make a habit of this, then it will change your thinking about time and how you invest it. It is then that you will realize how valuable your time really is.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter in Ephesians 5:15-17, "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."Make the most of every opportunity by investing your time into the lives of others in service to God.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of 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 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much 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.

As we take this trek of life 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

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

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 631 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Vice or Virtue - Proverbs 14

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 631 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 14 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The investment of our time in Arizona working on our construction projects last week was very productive. It appears that our smaller projects will certainly occupy all of our time between now and when Phase II begins on September 1st.

On the home front, the hawks which were born this year have left the nest to set off on a life of their own. We probably won’t see the parents around until they begin the nest repair next winter. It is always enjoyable to watch them each year.

Our granddaughter Hazel has been feeling fairly well the past couple of weeks as she continues with her chemo treatments. Her blood counts were down this week, which is disappointing, but the oncology team told Nat and Elizabeth to expect that due to the regimen that she is currently on. Just like when we are on a physical trek we have to take one step at a time, and as with all of life, but particularly in this situation, we have to take it one day at a time.

Life is filled with good and bad situations, and regardless of the external circumstances, each of us must choose to live with integrity or dishonesty. This is the topic for today as we explore Chapter 14 of Proverbs and our focus today will be…

Vice or Virtue

Remember the two women from Chapter 9 – Lady Wisdom and Folly? Well, they’re back again in Chapter 14. In fact, 14:1 is nearly identical to 9:1 – Wisdom builds her house and lives upright, while Folly only destroys and wallows in the mess of her own making. How different can these women get? Who will you choose to follow?

Chapter 14 describes and shows us the great differences between these two ways of life using contrasting character traits:

Carefulness or Carelessness (verse 3, 16)

Discernment or Deception (verse 8)

Integrity or Mockery (verse 9)

Thoughtfulness or Haste (verse 15)

Patience or Quick-tempered (verse 29)

Consider the list of virtues and vices. Notice how one builds up while the other tears down.

Which course will you take in life? Verses 26 and 27 emphasize the “Reverence for the Eternal,” which puts a person on the right trajectory. This is a deep reverence that motivates right behavior even when it’s difficult. To live in Reverence of the Eternal is to have confidence, protection, life, and salvation.

What would it look like today for you to Reverence the Eternal and choose Lady Wisdom?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 14:

1 A wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.

2 Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal,

but whoever turns from it hates Him.

3 A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment,

but the humble speech of the wise will spare them.

4 A farm without oxen has a manger without grain;

there’s a good return in the strength of an ox.

5 An honest witness can always be trusted,

but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.

6 Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,

but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

7 Walk away from the company of fools,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 630 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Don't Be Afraid – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 630 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 George MacDonald who said, "This is a wise, sane Christian faith: that a man commit himself, his life, and his hopes to God; that God undertakes the special protection of that man; that therefore that man ought not to be afraid of anything."As a Christ follower, our faith should be built on the foundation that our creator and God is also the creator of the entire universe - all things seen and unseen. This same God knows and understands all that you face each day and all that you go through.

When you are able to grasp this reality and it becomes your faith foundation, then it should minimize everything that you fear. Everything that causes you worry and anxiety. No one is capable of living completely without any fears, for that is impossible and not even advisable.

There is a form of healthy fear that allows you to remain safe in truly unsafe conditions. I have observed, though, there seems to be an unhealthy level of fear, worry, and anxiety in the world, even among those who are Christ followers. As your faith grows stronger and your foundation for life is built on God’s Word, then your fear should dissipate in like proportions. Like the Apostle, Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

Also, the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 41:10, "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."So my encouragement to you today is, "Fear not, for our hope in is our mighty God."

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much 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.

As we take this trek of life 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

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

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 629 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Don't Just Do Something - Sit There! – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 629 of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing your negative habits into positive habits. Changing habits is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.”

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you with practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. I am recording this podcast and journal in advance as I will have just arrived back from my week in Arizona. I will provide updates on my trip and Hazel’s progress on Wednesday.

Everyone is busy. Schedules to follow, goals to achieve, problems to solve, appointments to keep, projects to finish, places to go, kids to love, and deadlines to meet. I get tired just thinking about it. I would say that it is a time for all of us to have a Mindshift – plan some time for reflection and relaxation and recharge your body, mind, and soul. So our trek today will cover…

Don’t Just Do Something – Sit There!

The problem for me, and probably for many of you, is that I enjoy keeping busy. I love my work, or at least most aspects of it. Even understanding this, at the end of many days I feel like I have been riding a merry-go-round. Plenty of action and movement, yet I didn’t seem to accomplish much. I end up with as much or more to do than when I started. I read a quote that said it well, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” 

From the beginning of creation, God instituted a practice that we all would do well to follow, yet many of us (including myself) fail miserably. That is working six days and taking a day off each week for complete rest. This is a Mindshift that is hard to put into practice.

Allow me to share with you some of the reasons it’s necessary at times to stand still instead of rushing around.

1. There’s a constant need to reevaluate your priorities.

I used Romans 12:2 the past couple of weeks, but it is so applicable here also, "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

It is very easy to fall into step with the world’s thinking and take on their behaviors and attitudes about life. The pressure of those you associate with sometimes starts you in the wrong direction. It is easy to fall into peer pressure and the paths of least resistance. When your life fails to embrace discipline, and your desires become selfish, it’s time to reevaluate your life.

2. Only by waiting on God can you be spiritually energized.

My life verses are found in Isaiah 40:29-31:

He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 628 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Conquering Your Giants

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 628 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they impact us in creating our living legacy.

Starting today and for the next several weeks, we will focus on how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a Fear Less Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this trek is originally released, I will be finishing a week investing time on-site with our construction projects in Arizona. There is much to do, and not all aspects are going smoothly, which has caused our funding to be delayed, so I know that it will be a very busy week.

As with any business venture or job of any kind, there is always concern about how well the organization is functioning, and if it is profitable. Money issues plague most of us and bring an inordinate amount of stress, worry, and fear to our lives. Those fears are usually exaggerated until they become giants that we feel will destroy us.

As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be looking for giants to conquer and our lesson title for today is…

Conquering Your Giants

As I have shared over the past two months, one giant that has invaded our family is the microscopic leukemia cells that are attacking our granddaughter Hazel. This is a giant that was totally unexpected and was not caused by anything that we did. In addition to that, for the most part, there is little we can personally do to help Hazel directly. We could become angry, defeated, and be destroyed by fear, but instead, we as a family are fighting this giant with all the resources that are available, and we will conquer it. Our faith in a good and gracious God, along with our faith in the oncology team and their resources and research are already starting to defeat this microscopic giant.

Today, maybe your giant concerns your marriage, a strained relationship with your children, or a broken friendship. Maybe you confront giants at work. Possibly, your giants are financial problems or health struggles. Whatever the giant, you probably feel like you are at the crossroads and enough is enough.

There are two passages in the Bible that we will explore today that refer to giants. The first is when the nation of Israel was about to enter the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt and sent 12 spies to scout out the land. Joshua and Caleb wanted to enter and conquer. The other 10 disagreed. Numbers 33:30-33 is a snippet of their story, "But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. 'Let’s go at once to take the land,' he said. 'We can certainly conquer it!' But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. 'We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!' So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: 'The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 627 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Think Like a Wise Man – Wisdom Unplugged

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 627 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 William Butler Yeats, and it is, "Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people."It is great to be continually gaining wisdom, which we should pursue as if it were gold and silver. As you gain wisdom, though, make sure that you remain humble and can share that wisdom with others in a manner that they can understand. It does no one any good if you gain wisdom and knowledge but become so wise and intellectual that you cannot relate to those who you minister to.

A truly wise person will be able to synthesize the wisdom they gain so it will flow through them in a manner that is completely understandable to others. Jesus was a master at breaking down spiritual concepts into parables and stories that the common person could easily grasp.

One example of how Jesus taught this is in Luke 18:15-17, "One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, 'Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.'"What a master Jesus was at sharing His wisdom in stories that even children can comprehend. May we strive to be like Jesus as we relate to others.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of 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 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google Play 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 this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek of life 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

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

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 626 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Two Paths, One Way - Proverbs 13

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 626 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 13 from The Voice Translation which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. When this episode is originally released, I will be in Arizona working on the construction projects that we are involved in.

We are involved in several activities as they relate to family, work, and ministry. This includes creating the Wisdom-Trek Podcast & Journal five days a week. At times it is difficult to know what to focus on because all seem important. That being said, we strive to have all of our activities aligned with our life purpose and goal of daily creating a living legacy. This is the singularity of our mindset as we explore Chapter 13 of Proverbs and our focus today will be…

Two Paths, One Way

Verse 1 picks back up on the theme introduced in the first 9 chapters — a wise child is attentive to his parents’ instruction. The virtue of being teachable is repeated many times through this chapter (as is mentioned in verses 1, 10, and 18). A wise child has a good attitude towards advice, but a mocker “is deaf to correction” and scoffs at his own destruction.

Notice, according to the Proverbs, that there are only two kinds of people: the righteous, wise person and the wicked fool. According to this chapter, you will know the difference by the words people use, the things they love, the way they act, and even, poetically, by their smell! (“The wicked make themselves a stench…”). It’s a pretty black-and-white view of life, and its purpose is to convince you that there is only one true, right way to live.

To top it off, take special note of verses 12 and 19, which are both about having your “dreams come true.” This fulfillment is described as a tree of life, sweetness to the soul, and an “inheritance for your grandchildren.” This kind of life is only available to the right living.

As I read through this chapter, use verses 1, 10, and 18 as pit stops along the way. Ask yourself how teachable you have been lately. How might you better fall in line with the way of right living?Listen intently as I read Proverbs 13.

1 A wise child is attentive to his parents’ instruction,

but the mocker is deaf to correction.

2 A person eats well when he speaks wisely,

but the treacherous crave violence.

3 Those who guard their speech insure they will take another breath,

but those who talk without thinking guarantee their demise.

4 Slackers crave but have their fill of nothing,

but the hardworking desire and are completely satisfied.

5 The right-living will not tolerate any lie,

but wrongdoers come to shame and embarrassment.

6 Doing right keeps the innocent on the path of life,

but doing wrong is the downfall of the wicked.

7 One pretends he is wealthy but has nothing,

while another seems to be poor but has great wealth.

8 The rich are targeted and must ransom their lives,

but no one bothers to threaten the poor.

9 The light of the right-living brings joy as it burns brightly;

the lamp of a wrongdoer will be snuffed out.

10 Arrogance only produces arguments,

but wisdom accompanies those well advised.

11 Money earned hastily is easily lost,

but hard-earned money continues to grow.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 625 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Wisest Mind – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 625 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 George Santayana who said, "The wisest mind has something yet to learn."

If you ever reach the point where you think you know it all or that you have reached the pinnacle of wisdom, then it is time to rethink. The wisest of people realize that there is so much wisdom yet to be gained.  We have discussed on past treks that there is a distinct difference between gaining knowledge and gaining wisdom. A wise person is always seeking to learn, to gain knowledge, and to gain wisdom. That is a distinct attribute of a wise person. A person who does not desire to learn, to gain knowledge, and to gain wisdom is actually a fool.

Another distinct sign of a wise person is that they are not afraid to be corrected when they are wrong. They take personal responsibility and are willing to accept discipline and correction so they can gain additional wisdom, insight, and understanding.

Proverbs is referred to as the book of wisdom and has much to teach us. Here are three verses that reinforce today’s wisdom nugget.

Proverbs 9:9

Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

Proverbs 15:5

Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.

Proverbs 19:25

If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, 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 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much 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.

As we take this trek of life 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

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