"Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes."
Ecclesiastes 7:16 - 18
Balance: settled, harmonious, arranged, proportionate, complete, equalized, temperate
Extremes: excesses, discordance, disproportionate, disunity, incoherence, violent, overbearing, indulgent
"Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears." Hebrews 12:14-17 MSG
Tools (Values) of Wisdom
Love, long-suffering, patience, kindness, peace, gentleness, tolerance, respect, responsibility, forgiveness, mercy, grace, goodness to all, humility, gratitude, meekness, mildness, temperance, soft-spokenness, reflection, submissiveness, a sweet spirit, lowliness, teachability, agreeableness, intentionality, discipline, maturity, willingness to sacrifice, loyalty, discipline, flexibility, compliance, openness, receptiveness, reasonableness, acceptance, gracefulness, seeing good in everyone and everything, restoration, and encouragement (building up).
Tools of Fools
Anger, bitterness, bad attitudes, dishonor, intimidation, accusations, slander, threats, gossip, blame, demands, manipulation, strife, arguments, murmurings, control, theft, sabotage, ungratefulness, undermining others, discord, disagreeableness, pride, right-fighting, offense, irritation, aggravation, greed, unforgiveness, selfishness, mockery, grumbling, reactiveness, rebellion, stubbornness, judgment, condemnation, division, immaturity, pride, arrogance. a hard head, a hard heart, bullheadedness, inflexible, pig-headedness, superiority, force, unreasonableness, narrow-mindedness, disobedience, unruliness, traps, critical perspectives, fault-finding, fear, discouragement, destructiveness, oppression, condescension, waste, aggression.
When your eyes are pointed up toward God, you begin to see fruit in your life such as peace, faith, humility, opportunity, kindness, gentleness, respect, honor, harmony, focus, mildness, submissiveness, moderation, balance, diligence, and patience. You will become an active listener to God and others, seeking wisdom and quickly becoming qualified to share wisdom as it is revealed to you.
When your eyes are pointed toward the world, the fruit will be troublesome: fear, pride, focus on problems instead of solutions, blame, accusation, aggression, agitation, conflict, strife, argumentativeness, distraction, the sense of being not good enough, feeling disturbed, disgust, impatience, being critical, judgment, self-righteousness, and anxiety.
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