I think and understand, do you?

I think, and yes, I know, who really cares about what I think?  But as I was saying, I think and therefore I opinionate, I suppose, I theorize, and I speculate.  That is what thinking is all about.  If we do not think and hypothesize, make assumptions, and draw conclusions based on our thoughts then what good is thinking?

The Democrats do not want us to think for ourselves, they would prefer to do our thinking for us, and it appears we are more than willing to let them. 

What we think defines us as individuals.  How we react to what we think defines us as courageous or cowards.  However, it matters what we think and what we think depends on what we understand in relation to what we have learned. 

Learning is determining what is worthwhile and what is not.  In other words, and like the old computer adage says, “Garbage in, garbage out,” telling us all that learning the right things will help find what is worthwhile to learn.  Too often we trust those who say they know something but fail to realize the rhetoric is worthless without experience and understanding.

Too often we have mistaken knowledge for wisdom, it is not.  Wisdom is the ability to wisely use the knowledge obtained and learned, not the wholesale acquisition of trivial facts.  Facts can be fun but for the most part facts are worthless, especially in a time like ours where the facts of one day are different then the facts of tomorrow, leading many to fall sway to winds of doctrine that plague our society. 

A few years ago, I had a student who claimed he did not need to learn anything.  All that he needed was readily available on his phone and he proceeded to prove his worth by having me ask him any question I could think of.   I thought for a moment and then asked him to look up how to build a wall?

He quickly typed and started to read.  The steps he read were correct but then I added I meant a brick wall.  Again, he typed and read the directions and with a proud smile, he said, “see,” it’s all here, he tapped his phone in triumph.  

  

“So, go build the wall,” 

He obviously could not, and he knew he could not.  He had no actual experience building anything, even a simple block wall.  (there is nothing simple about it.)

We are bombarded with facts, figures, percentages and information and start to think that because we have thought we understood the words, we have the ability to follow through, but that follow through takes time and effort and hours of practice to be competent, to have wisdom and experience.

The 4^th of July is two days away and most of us are complaining about having to stay at home, again, because of the facts that bombard us hourly with increases of those infected by the coronavirus.  

The questions I ask myself are:

1.        Why do we have a July 4^th Holiday?  This may take some time to learn.

2.       Is this a Holiday that I want to celebrate?  If not, ask your boss if you can work instead.  No reason to celebrate if you do not understand, believe or agree with the events of this historical day.  You may even want to extend your rioting hours, call your local BLM chapter, I think they might be able to help.

3.       Can we celebrate this day within the context of the current shutdowns and restrictions?

There are many ways to pay homage to the lives of those who have passed, there are even more ways not too.  Despite the issues, I have with our national, state, and local leaders I want to continue to learn what is best for me and my family.  I want to follow the admonitions of Paul, the Apostle as written in the Articles of Faith that says:   

       

"We believe in being honest, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul  "We believe all things, we hope all things," we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things,".    

      

Knowledge is good but understanding and applying that knowledge is so much better.  “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”  

   

We are surrounded by those who would push us into the unknown winds and do so without regard for our safety, our well being nor our very lives, but as we gain understanding and wisdom we can overcome their tempestuous ways and find safe harbor in the reality of understanding and though faith in God and his Son Jesus Christ.

Have a Happy and Safe 4^th of July.