Harmony Of The Soul
A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool rages, and is confident. Proverbs 14:16
Wise Man – Here’s a little self-assessment test. It will help you determine if your view of life is biblically-based or a part of the dominant culture of the West. It’s about your perception of wisdom.
Do you think that wisdom results in an inner harmony? Do you believe that the proper application of reason will bring you inner peace? Do you find that emotions (either positive or negative) upset the balance of your life?
The classical Greek view of wisdom includes two poles. The first is ataraxia. This pole is mental stability or peace of mind. According to the Greeks, happiness is a state of mind; a state where external circumstances no longer cause me mental distress; where I am above it all in unperturbed harmony. According to the Greeks, one of the goals of the wise man is to avoid emotional disruptions if possible and, when avoidance is impossible, reduce them to rational deliberation. This latter process is the other pole of the Greek view of wisdom – apatheia – indifference to whatever disturbs mental harmony. On the one pole, the Greeks did all they could to avoid nasty emotions. On the other pole, they did all they could to become independent, self-sufficient and detached. The wise man was immune and unaffected by life’s turmoil and tragedies. Reason controls everything. If you have a problem or you’re upset, the answer will be found in reasoning about the situation in order to remove the disturbing influences.
How much of your thinking about life’s upsets is really based in the Greek model?
What does the Bible have to say about this? The wise man is hakam. Actually, the word is an adjective, not a noun. It conveys the idea of skill and experience. A person described by hakam is an able leader, an interpreter of dreams, one who knows the law, one who learns, who heeds rebuke and who controls his tongue. Oh, did you notice there is no mention of intellectual capacity? And there is not even a hint at detachment from life’s emotional roller-coaster. In fact, one who has skills and experience is probably someone who has lived through a lot of ups and downs. The biblical view of wisdom is not about inner harmony or peace of mind. It is about full engagement in living. The wise man knows how to step into the world. He knows what to pursue and what to fear (notice the word is not avoid). He knows when to let go and when to leave. The wise man exhibits the character of God – engaged, prudent, understanding and discerning.
Does wisdom result in inner harmony? Probably not. The wise man knows when his skills and experience are needed in the midst of conflict. He is a peace-maker, not a peace-taker. Does he avoid emotions? Only if he is not merciful, long-suffering and compassionate. Does he attempt to resolve upsetting circumstances with the right application of reason? Didn’t we just read about “My ways are not your ways?” What is ahav (love) if it is not benevolence toward another at cost to myself? Is that reasonable?
The exam is over. How did you do?
Topical Index: wise man, hakam, ataraxia, apatheia, emotions, reason, Proverbs 14:16
We have learned over the course of life and through G-d’s book- we are indeed, a different breed. If we feel sometimes as if we do not fit in with this world and the thinking of this world and the goals and aspirations of this world it is because we do not. We are twice-born people living in a once-born world.
I am not blind in one eye and cannot see out of the other. I have two eyes and a G-d given brain and I am allowed to use all my facilities to perceive and to know the G-d who (now) is.
What are the goals and agendas of the once-born? Do we not live among them and do we not know? I used to be once of them and I know all too well the wisdom of the world. Lust, sin and death are the unholy trinity of the dead. What do the unwashed masses pursue? What are their dreams? And yes, my friends- what are ours also..
Possessions? Pleasure? Profit at any cost? He who dies with the most toys wins? Oh yes, let us not forget position and power- dominion and authority- how we love being in charge and being looked up to and respected. You know the drill well fellow follower- “it’s all about me baby!”- the big “I”. How can I excel? How may I succeed? How much can I collect? How may I use you to my full advantage? Me, me and more me.. Selfish? Self-centered? Ah yes..- all for my pleasure, comfort and desire. Just wrap me up in a silk cocoon. Any of this ring a bell? This my friends is only a small slice of the wisdom of this world. There is no end to the stupidity of man. Lust, Sin and Death- LSD- a powerful hallucinogenic. Oh, we haven’t even discussed the use of drugs and alcohol as an artificial substitute for the real thing have we? What a wide assortment of different ways to kill yourself. Party on dude- there is tomorrow. Have another swallow of this pretty toxin and destroy some more brain cells. Kill the pain – better living through chemistry. Inhale this substance deep into your lungs which once were used to process oxygen, but now are stained and decreased in capactity through abusive behavior. Are we creative in the ways we have invented to kill ourselves? -All we like sheep- (with a brain half the size of a walnut). Sin is stupid and sin is a form of insanity- no doubt about it.
Then in complete contradistinction we hear the words of the Messiah- “Come unto me.” What? -Why should we want to come unto Him? What does He have to offer? We no longer need the authentic in our lives, we have settled for the artificial. One hundred eighty five channels of digital distraction, not to mention stacks and stacks of music with a kicky, funky beat. Y’shua, where are you? We are being inundated by electronic noise and distraction. Where are the words we need to give us life? Where is the Ruach HaKodesh- the Breath of Life? Breath on us, Holy One that we may live. Cause us to remember and to return unto our Good Shepherd- the Source of every good and perfect gift.
Our Bible states- “wisdom is better than gold” and also promises- “if any man lack wisdom- let him ask of G-d who gives to all men liberally.” The Source of all wisdom? It is the LORD. -Yes, it is Adonai, our Master/Teacher. As far as I can determine the wisest thing we can do is to obey G-d. “Whatever He says unto you, do it.” And the most foolish thing we can possibly do is to not obey G-d. Disobedience (btw) is another word for sin. Sin is foolish and sin is stupid. Why? What ares the consequences of sin? Unless you and the bubble boy have lived in the same house since birth we know full well (up close and personal) the consequences of sin. Come by my place sometime and I’ll show you a man covered with scars. All from living in a sin-infested world. Do we need to rehearse this again? Death, disease, destruction, defeat, discouragement, disaster- should I go on?- or have ours eyes been sufficiently opened to these things? I do wonder..just how stupid can we be? And the answer is… “very.”
Maybe pain will cause us to turn. Maybe? Sorrow? Affliction? – No wonder many turn to alcohol for relief, they know not what are doing. Self-destructing drink by drink. A slow and steady march toward the grave, sin destroying everthing-polluting everything it touches along the way to the grave. Have another drink of Liquid Stupid- I just want to spend my life in an alcoholic stupor- what joy! The “wisdom” of this world. Sin, sorrow and death. Where do I sign up? -Is this the life I want? -Please don’t judge the book by its cover, -I only look stupid.
Is there Another I may look to for wisdom? Another Source? Another Way? (Am I allowed to scream?) Megaphone please.,.. YES!! -What is His name? What was/is His purpose? What did He say? -“I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10.10). Where is wisdom?- “Whatever He says unto you- do it.”
“In fact, one who has skills and experience is probably someone who has lived through a lot of ups and downs. The biblical view of wisdom is not about inner harmony or peace of mind. It is about full engagement in living.”
From LETTING GO: CHRISTIAN MEDITATIONS FOR RECOVERING CHRISTIANS for Nov 16th: “Loss must be experienced in order to be shared, and it must be shared in order to be healed…. Grief is a profound part of recovery and new life. Tears of regret, remorse, and despair water the roots of love and of life itself. To fail to cry is to fail to live. Saint Paul said, ‘Weep with those who weep.’ (Romans 12:15)”
“Does wisdom result in inner harmony? Probably not. ”
From Dr. Larry Crabb’s book, INSIDE OUT: “Confusion breeds faith; disappointment drives us to hope; conviction leads to love. The path to maturity requires a commitment to replace false certainty, pretended satisfaction, and smug spirituality with disturbing levels of confusion, disappointment and conviction, which in turn create the opportunity to develop faith, hope, and love.”
My conclusion: fully engaging includes pain, loss and grief–which are not pleasant to experience. But they are necessary for maturity and thus, an important part of wisdom.