Who Are Our Sages?
This article was initially published on The Conversations Blog.
by Jacques Bornman
What would you tell your 20-year old self if you could make a telephone call back in time?
This was the question posed to renowned Christian leaders at a recent ‘Day of Sages’ event hosted by eKerk, a para-church organization in South Africa. The presenters included church leaders, business people, philanthropists and even a political leader who played a critical role in the negotiations between the apartheid-government and the ANC of Nelson Mandela, in the early 1990s.
Participants shared that they would focus on the importance of family, alternative definitions of success, and how to deal with disappointments and learning to forgive. They encouraged themselves to follow their dreams and passions, to have more fun and worry less, especially about work.I was struck by the audience’s appreciation of every participant. The reward of a life well-lived is wisdom. In a time when access to information is vast and easy, we live with a desperate need to distinguish what is appropriate, helpful and wise.
Having lived through many changes, challenges, success and failures, the senior members of society frequently have the gift of wisdom to help us discern. In other seminars, summits or training events, as we listen to what’s being said, we often find ourselves comparing our lives, our abilities, opportunities and progress with those of the presenter.
Egos emerge and start playing the comparison-game. With this event however, I walked away feeling encouraged, inspired and determine to walk in the tracks left by those going before me.
What could our churches do to create platforms and opportunities for the sages in our midst to share their wisdom?
What do we miss out if we don’t?