Monday, April 27, 2009

Transcendent Wisdom

Transcendent[1] Wisdom... “I mean in everything. The first and highest rule of all deed and speech, the more necessary to be followed the higher and more numerous our posts, is: an ounce of wisdom[2] is worth more than tons of cleverness[3].

“It is the only sure way, though it may not gain so much applause.

“The reputation of wisdom is the last triumph of fame.

“It is enough if you satisfy the wise, for their judgment is the touchstone of true success”
–Balthasar Gracian.

Why do some people who attain ‘high posts’ in life fail morally? Is it based in a lack of spiritually-discerned wisdom? Do they choose blindness and cheat to their own peril, falling into their own traps?[4]

Do some apparently ‘rich’ and worldly people not see the laws of wisdom controlling the universe? Do they not see the inevitability of everything?

Wisdom beats adroitness, in the final analysis, every single time.

It confounds the “common sense” of humanity.

Where the hare might pinch an advantage, the tortoise makes up for in diligence, waiting for the hare’s inevitable slip. And it’ll come; there’s nothing quite surer. And guess who wins, finally?

And these facts are every bit more important the higher the ladder of life we climb, for we’re exposed to the chilly, thin air at altitude, and this scrutinises our senses and our innate character, in the form of our interpretation and response.

Though wisdom may seem the slow way around and a waste of time to many, things done right are blessed--and that, by faith.

The sage acts for applause, but not from the populace or any mere human being; and the LORD is pleased. Anything else and the sage would be savage.

Wisdom doesn’t always bring the thrills of ingenuity, but oh... it lasts.

We may not look so polished and slick, but the One who looks down sees the eternal value of the work of genuine sagacity.[5]

And the sage knows a consistency of application of wisdom that all the populace cannot fathom.

At times, the most wise look like fools--yet they remain. They are seen at last, not having the last laugh; that would be futile. Laughter is irrelevant. They had the authenticity of faith to know the outcome eons ago. They don’t always perceive or know how or why, but they simply act in faith.

The outcome is no surprise to them. Barring the details it is almost routine.

“Common sense” people expect the game to finish early, at the incorrectly appointed time. Little do they see that this is but one battle--and life is one battle after another after another--the war (i.e. analogous for life), the bigger picture, is gargantuan in comparison. They deceive themselves.

The journey remains in time (at least as far as humanity is concerned), and this belongs, like everything else, to the One.

The wise know enough and do only enough; more would be a waste--unaffordable extravagance. “Enough,” in raw, honest truth, is the delicate (right) balance that few attain. “Enough”--the transcendent wisdom way--is, however, about extravagant kingdom love of the Ages. It meets the real, basic, spiritually-discerned requirements every time. This is our potential.

Searching for wisdom of the transcendent kind is a lifelong search well beyond the self’s default contains. It is the constant rejection of the seeming ‘good life’ for a life of faith and trust, and not sight and pat knowledge. It is to be discerned. It is contingent on relationship with the One.

Constant surrender to the spiritually-discerned will of the One will bring us close to the intrinsic purpose of wisdom; life both bound and freed by it. Can life have a more important purpose than finding wisdom?--the wisdom of the One, eternal God.

And true wisdom is transcendent above all else; the final frontier of the right path and remaining on it, one day at a time.

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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ENDNOTES:
[1] Transcendent: exceeding usual limits : surpassing b: extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience c in Kantian philosophy : being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge 2: being beyond comprehension 3: transcending the universe or material existence — compare immanent 4: universally applicable or significant "the antislavery movement…recognized the transcendent importance of liberty — L. H. Tribe."
[2] Wisdom: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight c: good sense : judgment d: generally accepted belief "challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians — Robert Darnton." 2: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action 3: the teachings of the ancient wise men
[3] Cleverness: synonyms clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving. clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude "a person clever with horses." adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties "an adroit negotiator." cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating "a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects." ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something "an ingenious software engineer."
synonyms see in addition intelligent
[4] See Proverbs 11:6; 12:13; and especially 28:10.
[5] Genuine sagacity might not appear so wise to the common human being. But he or she that seeks it, however, has a way to genuine kingdom qualities of humility and the Fruit of the Spirit etc i.e. the slow, sure way home.

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