Buddha, Jesus and Confusion about Sagacity
Your image of a sage might include white robes, long beards, and sitting cross-legged under a tree.
Confusion blocks your path and limits your impact.
Buddha, Jesus and confusion about sagacity:
Did the Buddha withdraw? His story says he meditated for seven days under a Bodhi tree or ‘tree of wisdom’. (Victoria and Albert Museum) But he didn’t stay under the tree waiting for the world to beat a path to him.
After enlightenment the Buddha traveled and taught for 45 years.
Did Jesus withdraw? His story includes 40 days of fasting and all-night prayer vigils. (Matthew 4:1-11) But he didn’t stay in the wilderness. He went around teaching and meeting needs.
Share your sagacity:
If you know where the bread is, then tell someone.
If you’ve tried-failed-and-learned, then for crying out loud, speak up. Everyone is a sage to someone. An older sister is a sage when she teaches a younger brother how to climb a tree.
If you’ve overcome an obstacle or succeeded in some small way, then share your solution.
Go or wait:
Students need initiative, but sages shouldn’t sit under the Bodhi tree.
Sages need to proclaim their value and be available like Buddha and Jesus.
A seventh grader:
Everyone is a sage to someone.
After watching our grandson (7th grade) play basketball, I said, “I can help you play better.” He leaned in and gave me his complete attention. He watched closely while I drew on a piece of paper.
- We both enjoy basketball.
- I’ve played much more basketball than he has.
- He believes I have his best interest in mind.
- I spoke from the voice of experience.
- I told him – with confidence – I can help.
When you see an issue, try saying, “I think I can help.”
What have you learned from experience that has made your leadership better?
How might a sage overcome reluctance to share wisdom?
Bonus material:
6 Ways to Recognize a Wise Leader (Thinkers50)
I appreciate the wisdom you share. And, I really appreciate that you seem to be continually looking for those principles and foundations of wisdom.
Terrific insights as usual. I personally appreciate you drawing on SG (Buddha) and JC since they are both my teachers.
So for this: What have you learned from experience that has made your leadership better?
How might a sage overcome reluctance to share wisdom?
I find myself mostly involved with my 24 year old son these days on leading as a father and sage with some wisdom from my 62 years. Jason is 24 going into his last year of college and he has a heart so big for others. He is a magnet for the ladies because he is a gentlemen and does not play games. So what do I do as his father, his mentor, his sage. We talk, we walk and we spend lots of time together discussing the world, working thru multi cultural issues since he was born in China and adopted by my Chinese wife and I at age 1 back in 95 and primarily grew up in an Asian community here in SOCAL. So having grown up in the Midwest, lived in many states and one stint in Taiwan (where I married) and had many different challenging job positions thru my life I share those experiences with Jason. I show him how I’ve tackled challenges, how I’ve sometimes failed, how I always learn from each journey. I believe this will put him at an advantage as he enters the work world. I do not find that outside of some minor sage wisdom to one of the youngins at work I can do much with others. I’ve posted on it before, I see a lack of passion amongst many of the youngins I interact with. I can’t initiate passion in them, they can only do that themselves and if they don’t have the passion its difficult if not impossible to share wisdom with them. That’s just the way I see it in my little part of this world.
Great article! Sometimes the reluctance for me is the principle of not wasting time throwing pearls to educated pigs whose egos won’t allow them to admit they don’t know it all, when it çomes to one on one. Particularly so, when it comes to people seeking occult wisdom & knowledge (where the different colored robes & beards usually are found lol). However, publicly I share what I’ve learned in life, that failure is just a better set of lessons to learn from for next time & that many next times will provide additional better lessons for the road to whatever defines the word success.
On my path, a sage is not only someone who’s wise, but also is an historian & guardian of the knowledge, similar to a librarian.
The problem with being the sage under the tree is that the person who really needs your guidance may never find you. Or worse, on their way to your tree, they may find someone else whose advice sets them on the wrong path. So you really do have to get out and about rather than sitting under your tree (or in your office, even if the door is open).
It is a common saying on my path, “whatever you’re seeking is seeking you.” The sincere & dedicated either always find or always found by that which they’re seeking & the one meant to teach you. However, in my life, it took several teachers before I was ready for my permanent one.
Nothing is ever left to chance, only left to choice.
“Faith without Works is dead.”
The workings of one person are different from the next. Some may be seen with the eyes while some can only be seen in & by the spirit. Hence why you’re not to judge another particularly if they’re not of your own path. Very few humans have access to everybody’s life records, the rest can only see their own.
Thanks for replying to my comments. However, you’re comments have left me somewhat confused? I was simply posting a Biblical Principle. When I posted my comments it wasn’t about anyone in particular. Again, the intent of my comments was knowing when to apply a principle/concept to the reality of a matter. I would never presume to know someone else’s mindset. We all have been given free will.
Leadership is not about having a position or title. Leadership involves treading a path where others dare not go.
Dan, I found these 2 lines to be some of the most thought-provoking you’ve posted:
If you’ve tried-failed-and-learned, then for crying out loud, speak up. Everyone is a sage to someone.
It’s easy to forget that our experiences are important…even if they don’t seem so to us at times.
Thanks Eric. Your comment prompted me to think about how we learn to do difficult things and eventually they become easy. We forget that what’s easy to us might be very difficult and important to another.
Just because it’s second-hand for you doesn’t mean it’s not a stretch for someone else. Don’t discount your skills.
Cheers
Z K Green,
Where’s the confusion coming from? Or should I say, what aspect is confusing? Sorry for belated response. I’ve been focused on other things.
I was simply posting regarding the works that are seen by others vs the works that are only seen by the Gods, and those with spiritual sight/prophetic gifting, etc. Many times, we form initial impressions based on what can be seen only by the naked eye rather than seeking what is only known by the heart & spirit. From the initial impressions we humans tend to judge others inaccurately.
How to apply your statements & mine into reality situations?
Yours: one can talk the talk all they want, they can have the faith (amount of belief) for miracles, yet never see/recognize a single one because they’re not doing the work necessary for those miracles to occur or are just blind to recognizing them as miracles. They’re called “coincidences” instead.
Mine: whether you call them works or workings (cultural differences between spiritual paths), they’re still concrete actions! Just because some do theirs in public & others do theirs in private (or in closet) makes them no less different as any other deeds. Thought about what to do as works/workings/deeds is necessary, of course, looking at what one can be/do in the here & now or whether planning is needed (to go to college/trade/other school; project planning/research, etc). However, it needs to result in realtime actions, not just intent & motive nor as just an idea never attempted. That’s what I was getting at, ZK. Does that help sift the mud out of the lake water of confusion?
As for your statement of leadership what it is/is not: I’m familiar with that both with/without titles. In some cases, one is privileged to have a team working with them, walking beside them; in others, there are/will be in the future places I must go alone, with whomever is on “my team” waiting for me to return from those places. Hopefully, their waiting time will still be productive, not just sitting around doing nothing.
Hmm not sure this will be posted in correct spot lol
I am failing to see the direct correlation between your comments and my comments? My comments center on Biblical Principles. More so how to apply Biblical Principles into your life and everyday reality. Which is a great leadership trait to develop, grow and evolve within an organization.
Faith is a Biblical Principle which must be practiced. That is the only reason I mentioned it in my comments. As for Gods or Elohim that is a deeper level of spiritualism. It was not my intention to initiate a discussion regarding higher realms.