Embracing Prudence: Navigating Change with Wisdom

Prudence carries with it today the connotation of prude, a person of over-exaggerated caution, Bland Temperance hesitation, a lack of imagination and will, a person who walks with tentative steps. There used to be a comedian on Saturday Night Live, Dana Carvey, and he became quite famous for doing an impersonation of then-president George W. Bush where what he would say over and over again, not gonna do it, not gonna do it, wouldn't be wise, wouldn't be prudent. [00:02:51]

Prudence is at its Essence a commitment to an orientation that's based on reality. It has involved particularly with the capacity to make good decisions and to things not just do I have good intentions with this but what are the results of this going to be what will the actual consequences going to be for real people so parents desperately need the gift of prudence if you're involved in the world of business if you have a job if you work with food if you do chores if you're in a household you need the gift of prudence. [00:03:57]

Prudence means I'm deeply committed to looking at reality to accepting reality doesn't mean I accept it doesn't mean I'm passive in my situation it means I will navigate where I want to go I will set goals I will try to have foresight going into the future that are deeply based on an accurate understanding of reality now where there's a lack of prudence almost almost always it's because I just give into my emotion and I live in the pretense that things are the way that I want them to be rather than in the truth of how they actually are. [00:06:17]

The most prudent advice that has yet been given to the human race is Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these other things will be added to you now that is simply Prudence in its most impactful form and interestingly enough Lincoln although he was not particularly Orthodox in his theology was a great Exemplar of this. [00:07:13]

When the Civil War had been going on for some time and there was great anguish and it wasn't clear how things were going to turn out Lincoln at one point made a vow to God and it had become clear to him that public sentiment about slavery had shifted enough at least in the North and the demands in the war made it quite clear that the offer of emancipation had to be made and so at one point he actually prayed and he said to God if you will grant us victory in the battle that would become known as Antietam I will take that as an indicator that it is now time to move forward with the Emancipation Proclamation. [00:07:40]

Provenance had always played a major role in the constitution of Lincoln's prudence. He told the journalist Noah Brooks that he thought it wise to wait for the developments of Providence, and the scriptural phrase that the stars in their courses fought against Cicero to him had a deep breath of meaning. [00:08:35]

Lincoln amazingly enough was a student enough of the Bible that he knew that verse, and the Stars fought against Cicero uh he was a great example of the ancient virgin virtue of prudence, a deep commitment to looking with unblinking courage and honesty and insight at reality and then not being passive but saying I will chart my course not only based on good intentions but also what will be the best most skillful most courageous way to navigate reality including other people and sell and that is a great gift to give. [00:10:43]

Prudence is no wonder the Ancients thought of it as an absolutely foundational character quality so today where can you exercise prudence, where can you deeply be committed to seeking to discern how God is at work in the reality of your life and then take one prudent step forward. [00:11:27]

Think of a friend of mine who has somebody in his life who really needs to hear honest feedback that's courageous even though they will resist it and The Prudent thing is to move forward to that conversation I think of a friend of mine who had the thought quite recently I need in some area of my life to give help to another person who cannot pay me back and The Prudent thing is to move forward with that. [00:11:46]

I myself had a conversation just a couple days ago with a very wise friend who basically said, John you have been living as though you're waiting for the next bad thing to happen and it's time to stop living that way and I recognize that's exactly what I needed to hear. [00:12:09]

God is at work in the circumstances of this world reality is a god-based entity the most prudent advice you will ever receive is seek first the kingdom seek it what's God new on what's he up to how can you be a part of it be prudent change is coming. [00:13:05]