Proverbs 11:12
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour:
But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
‘Great minds ... discuss ideas.
Average minds ... discuss events.
Small minds ... discuss people.’
Author unknown
Negative criticism seems to be the favorite activity of little people. They feel insecure in themselves, so they derive their glory in abasing others. They think their own candle will shine brighter if they dim that of others. It is the activity of the idle; he who is busy exerting positive energy doesn’t indulge in such time wasting. Our wise king Solomon relates this attitude as a lack of wisdom.
Let us rather take example from he who is slow with his words, careful with his judgment. He knows that only by the grace of God he goes, and he does not indulge in quickly divulging his opinion. He knows how to hold his tongue until afterward. Was he born that way? Let me rephrase that question: is a man born wise? Or is a child born mature? The only person I know of that caliber was Jesus who at twelve years old confounded the sages of Israel. The Word mentions that Jesus learned obedience through the things which He suffered. How much more then will we learn wisdom by the things which we suffer. But how do we learn? Where do we find the syllabus?
The wise has often felt the lash of his own lack of wisdom; he finds the syllabus imbedded within the suffering of his life’s experience. The difference between the wise and the unwise is that the wise knows how to draw the lessons carved in the syllabus of his life. He knows God wrote the curriculum, so pays attention to it. One of his principal lessons is that his own words have often come back to haunt him, so he knows better than to indulge in negative campaigns of criticism.
Our Master said, But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. And again, For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour:
But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
‘Great minds ... discuss ideas.
Average minds ... discuss events.
Small minds ... discuss people.’
Author unknown
Negative criticism seems to be the favorite activity of little people. They feel insecure in themselves, so they derive their glory in abasing others. They think their own candle will shine brighter if they dim that of others. It is the activity of the idle; he who is busy exerting positive energy doesn’t indulge in such time wasting. Our wise king Solomon relates this attitude as a lack of wisdom.
Let us rather take example from he who is slow with his words, careful with his judgment. He knows that only by the grace of God he goes, and he does not indulge in quickly divulging his opinion. He knows how to hold his tongue until afterward. Was he born that way? Let me rephrase that question: is a man born wise? Or is a child born mature? The only person I know of that caliber was Jesus who at twelve years old confounded the sages of Israel. The Word mentions that Jesus learned obedience through the things which He suffered. How much more then will we learn wisdom by the things which we suffer. But how do we learn? Where do we find the syllabus?
The wise has often felt the lash of his own lack of wisdom; he finds the syllabus imbedded within the suffering of his life’s experience. The difference between the wise and the unwise is that the wise knows how to draw the lessons carved in the syllabus of his life. He knows God wrote the curriculum, so pays attention to it. One of his principal lessons is that his own words have often come back to haunt him, so he knows better than to indulge in negative campaigns of criticism.
Our Master said, But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. And again, For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
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