Experience & Wisdom Irreplaceable

There is a story I used to relate to motivate my agency force concerning the return of a young fresh university graduate to his home village where lived a wise old man. He was much revered and respected for his vast reservoir of knowledge. Rather perturbed and visibly jealous of the wise old man’s position, the educated young man paid a visit to the old man and thought he could mentally challenge him.

“Old man, my old man, I understand you are the wisest man around this village and beyond. Let’s see if you know the answer to this puzzle. I have a bird in my hand. Tell me if it’s dead or alive.”

Without as much as a wink, the wise old man simply answer thus: “It’s up to you!.”

“What do you mean? Please explain.”

“Well, it’s simple. Its fate rests in your hand. If I said it’s alive, all you need do is to tighten your grip and squeeze it dead. On the other hand, if I said it’s dead, you just release your hand and off it will fly away. So it’s up to you.”

The term “elder” is invented clearly because of this – to accord the respect and honour due. No amount of academic attainment can take the place of experience

and wisdom acquired through life’s journey. All life is but one great experience and there’s none to compare. Age does bestow that much of dignity which a young person can in no way acquire though academic study. From the tribal society to the sophisticated modern society, the elders will always have their place and status.

In a family situation, the father heads the members providing advice and guidance to the young. The Chinese society is one that’s essentially based on the family system (“jia”) and the nation is referred to as “guo jia” , which literally means national family. The order is distinctive, and the system avoids any confusion or chaos. Where order fails to exist then chaos inevitably takes over.

Our God is a God of order. From the tiniest of His creations to the universe at large order exists. Peaceful living calls for law and order, and offence calls for correction with trial and punishment. This is the basic of all wisdom – no question or shade of doubt in the administration and proper function of the society.

Paul Chong