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Never doubt the influence little actions can have on others.

The time I spent in the military was anything but distinguished. All I wanted to do was to fulfill my duty and get out as soon as possible; except there was this one funny obscure incident. It occurred during basic training when one evening after an especially grueling day we hit the showers early before retiring to our bunks for a few precious hours of sleep. Now, I’ve never been one to sing in the shower, but for some reason that particular evening I began to unconsciously hum a little tune. Then this guy next to me overheard it. “Hey man,” he said, “sing that a little louder.” Next thing I knew he started singing along. Then someone else chimed in, then another and another. Before long there was a whole chorus of naked boot camp buddies harmonizing in the shower. After that, night after night these guys would gather in the showers, think of songs they all knew, snap their fingers in rhythm, and entertain themselves as well as others who gathered around. We could have sold tickets.

Anyone who has endured the rigors of military training will identify with the importance of building camaraderie. It’s one of the objectives. Those guys who sang in the shower together became great comrades. You notice I said “those guys”, for I did not participate except that first night, although I was invited. I just did not feel I was good enough.

We never know when the seeds we scatter will sprout into a tree, when some kind act or encouraging word will be a spark that ignites something greater. A pleasant “thank you” to a store clerk, making room for another motorist to move into your lane, a phone call to check up on a friend, a kind word to a fellow passenger on an airplane, a warm smile, or a friendly handshake – little gestures can make a huge difference. In my wildest dreams I would never have imagined that humming a little tune in the shower would influence a whole chorus of boot camp comrades.

It just goes to prove . . . never doubt the influence little actions can have on others.

Try this. Take a pencil in each hand and with your left hand draw a circle while simultaneously drawing a square with your right. Or this; silently begin reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet while singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the same time.

When we were kids growing up my older brother was a pretty good juggler, at least to me he was. He could keep three balls going at one time and never miss a beat, or two balls with one hand, which was amazing to me. He tried to teach me how to do it, and even though I would go off and practice on my own, I just never got the hang of it. Either I was not coordinated enough or couldn’t concentrate enough, or maybe a little of both. Whatever the reason too many balls in the air throw me off, if you know what I mean.

How about you, have you tried the two-handed drawing exercise above, or reading and singing at the same time? Even if you managed to do them, how did they turn out? Did the circle and square turn out as well as if you had drawn one at a time with your dominant hand, or were you able to concentrate on Shakespeare while singing “The Star-Spangled Banner”?

If you ask me I think the whole idea of multitasking is a bunch of nonsense. Oh, no doubt there are people who seemingly manage a lot of tasks or projects at the same time. I even have some limited ability to do that myself. But I don’t think it’s really multitasking; rather it is nothing more than performing one task at a time in somewhat rapid succession. Otherwise, can you imagine the results? Everything would look just like those circles and squares we tried to draw simultaneously with both hands.

I think if I were to ask my brother what the trick is to being able to juggle; my guess is he would say it has something to do with focusing on one ball at a time – rapidly. Maybe his mind does work quicker than mine, or he is better coordinated. But I’ll bet he would also say he has succeeded in life so far the same way the rest of us have, by focusing on one task at a time. Let us take care that all this technology we have today, or the world’s infatuation with multitasking, not distract us from this simple fact of life.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” – James 3:13

Nathan Coulter had a great way of putting things into perspective whenever a crisis arose in his family – as happens in all families. He would simply say, “Well, we’ll live right on.” In other words, life goes on and we’ll figure out how to live into it in spite of the circumstances. Even in his last days, aware he had only a short time to live he used the same words to comfort his wife, Hannah. “Dear Hannah,” he said, “I’m going to live right on. Dying is none of my business. Dying will have to take care of itself.”

Nathan and Hannah Coulter were people of great wisdom; fictional characters though they were from a wonderful little novel by Wendell Berry entitled Hannah Coulter. The setting is a small village – also fictional – in rural Kentucky during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Yet the situations and characters in the story are as near real life as any of us has ever experienced or imagined, thus in reading the book it does not feel like fiction at all.

How did the Coulters have so much wisdom? Neither was well educated nor have a particularly extraordinary upbringing. They in fact were rather simple folks who struggled to raise their children, maintain a modest home, raise crops on a small farm, and keep their bills paid. But their wisdom was evident in their good deeds and humility.

What exactly is wisdom, though? I posed that question a couple of weeks ago. One thing I’ve since concluded is that no human ever gains perfect wisdom, but that the wise person is the one who is in constant pursuit of it. Furthermore I would hypothesize that a fool is not one who lacks wisdom; rather he is one who makes no effort to seek it.

Hannah Coulter is a book worth reading if you are searching for wisdom, or read almost anything else by Wendell Berry. What you’ll discover is that “we’ll live right on,” is but one of many little hidden treasures of wisdom you will find.

“Yea, though, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me . . .” – Psalm 23:4

On a scale of one to ten, with one being low and ten high, how would you rate your “fear quotient” on the following?

• Fear of speaking in public.
• Fear of snakes and other creepy critters.
• Fear of heights.
• Fear of the future.

How about I go first: Fear of public speaking I am maybe a 2, as I do it a lot and am mostly exhilarated by it. Snakes? Probably a 7 or 8, although I used to be a 10, but having had frequent encounters with snakes on the ranch we used to own I’m not quite as rattled (no pun intended) as I once was. As for heights I would rate myself a 2. I actually enjoy being up high where I can get a panoramic view of the world. . . . But fear of the future is more of a moving target; for every day seems to be a struggle to reduce my fear which is often times 10 down to 1, and I don’t always succeed. What about you?

So, here’s another question. Think back twenty, thirty, forty years ago, however far back you can according to your age. What fears of the future did you have then about something that might occur between that time and the age you are now? And realizing we all suffer tragedies, disappointments and heartaches in our lives, yet consider just how many of those things you feared back then actually occurred. Did it help to worry? The point is: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life . . . Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25,27)

I still have moments throughout every day when my fear of the future rates a 10, and the only way I have found to reduce that is by remembering these comforting words of the Psalmist, “for thou art with me . . .”

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

What exactly is wisdom? Too often it is confused with knowledge or intelligence (that is, the ability to learn and retain knowledge). And yes knowledge and intelligence may in fact contribute to wisdom, but wisdom is more than that – much more. Instead, wisdom is about understanding — understanding in the context of meaning and purpose in life, the value and sacredness of relationships with others, with creation, and with God.

Did you ever know someone who was wise, who seemed to “get it”? I’m sure you have – and probably still do. For many of us our first encounter with wisdom may have occurred at an early age through a parent or grandparent, perhaps an aunt or uncle, a teacher or coach. Have you ever wanted to just sit in that person’s presence and absorb his or her understanding? I have. There are people in my life even today who impress me with their wisdom. They are people from whom I sometimes seek counsel, and at other times simply observe what they say and do.

Wisdom has always been valued, of course. In fact, most cultural traditions throughout history have honored their elders because of their wisdom. But wisdom is not something that can be learned from study nor earned through hard work. Rather, wisdom must accrue organically through life experience, observation, and relationships with others who are wise.

The emphasis in our culture today seems to be that education combined with hard work is the ultimate recipe for success and happiness. I happen to believe, however, that there is a third ingredient that is equally essential but often ignored, and that is wisdom. In fact, assuming knowledge and hard work being equal, wisdom may be the tipping point for success and happiness for those who embrace it as an ingredient; for the head may contain knowledge and the hands produce hard work, but it is the heart where wisdom resides. And that is why the writer of the proverb insists that “above all else” we must guard our heart . . . “for it is the wellspring of life.”