One Does Not "Become" Wise

I had to laugh. Well, it was more of a chuckle. You know, the kind when you have seen something so outrageous and over the top that you just have to grin and shake your head. I had just opened an email from a young man who had worked for me until recently. I began to read what was the most hateful, vicious rant and diatribe imaginable. It was an insulting, verbal assault against me as a person, and against my character. In short, I am hard pressed to think of a time I was so maligned and disrespected. The man was unhinged.

Having finished reading, I sat back and asked myself a question I have asked myself many times. "What would be the wise response to this?" The answer was obvious, of course. A wise man would NOT respond. What would have been the point? Again I chuckled, and shook my head. I closed the email and moved on.

If I have learned anything through the years it is that I am capable of being as big a fool as one can imagine, and at the same time there is to be found in me a modicum of good sense - okay, wisdom. This is true of all of us. But, you don't just become wise. It is against our nature. It is something you have to fight for. Pride, ego, and various base emotions pull us toward the foolish. My lesser man wanted to respond to the young man in kind. Wisdom can only come from knowledge, understanding, self control, and a conscious desire to rise above being a fool. It isn't easy. If it was we would all think and behave wisely.

Okay, that's enough for now. Y'all git on outta here. I'm done with ya.