Five Lessons on Wise Living I Learned Years Ago

 

Candidly, I know that I must have learned these from 'someone' or a group of 'someones,' as they are certainly not original with me, but things that I wrote down from someone much smarter than I am.  All the same, time has a way of clarifying what truly matters. What once seemed urgent fades, and what once felt small becomes foundational. Years ago, I came across five simple truths about wise living. They’ve stayed with me—not because they are complicated, but because they are deeply true. Let me share them with you.

 

1. Most Important Is Not Things

We live in a world that constantly tells us to gather more—more possessions, more recognition, more comfort. But wisdom quietly reminds us that the most important things in life are not things at all. Relationships matter. Character matters. Faith matters. You can fill a house with possessions and still feel empty. But when your life is rooted in love for God and people, there is a fullness that no material thing can ever provide. At the end of the day, no one treasures what you owned—they remember who you were. Matt 6:19-21

 

2. All Glory Is Fading

There’s a sobering reality to life: everything earthly fades.

Achievements lose their shine. Applause quiets. Positions change. Even the things we once thought would define us eventually slip into the past.

Wisdom teaches us not to anchor our identity in temporary glory. Instead, we’re called to invest in what lasts—things of eternal value.

When you understand that all earthly glory fades, you stop chasing it so desperately. And in that freedom, you begin to live with purpose instead of pressure.  1 Peter 1:24-25

 

3. If You Have a Problem, Don’t Be a Problem

Problems are unavoidable. Life brings them to all of us—unexpected, inconvenient, sometimes overwhelming. But there’s a difference between having a problem and becoming one. Someone said, "Hurting people hurt people" and "Unhappy people wants to see more people like them."

Wise living means responding with grace instead of frustration, solutions instead of complaints, humility instead of blame. It means refusing to let hardship turn you into someone others struggle to be around.

Anyone can add to the tension. It takes wisdom to bring peace into it. Col 3:12ff

 

4. Only God Is in a Position to Look Down on People

There’s something in human nature that tempts us to compare, judge, and elevate ourselves over others. But wisdom cuts through that illusion quickly.

The truth is simple: we are all on level ground before God.

The only One who has the right to look down on anyone is God—and even He chooses mercy.

When you understand this, it reshapes how you see people. Pride gives way to humility. Judgment gives way to compassion. You begin to lift others up instead of looking down on them.

That is the posture of a wise life.  James 2:1ff

 

5. When You’re Gone, Leave a Testimony, Not a Title

Titles are temporary. Positions are passing. While we tend to like the titles of mankind; Doctor, Chief, Reverend, Mister, Honorable, and the like, the truth is this: The roles we hold today will one day belong to someone else.

But a testimony—that’s different. A testimony is the story of a life well lived. It’s the impact you leave behind in the hearts of others. It’s the evidence that your life pointed somewhere greater than yourself.

When people remember you, they won’t be changed by your title. They’ll be shaped by your testimony—your faith, your kindness, your integrity, your love for God and others.

I heard an old preacher say this, "Live in such a way that the preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral."  Good word. Another thought might be, "Live in such a way that when your name is spoken, it brings to mind a life that mattered."  Proverbs 22:1, Matthew 5:16

 

Final Thought

Wise living isn’t complicated, but it is intentional. It’s choosing people over possessions. Eternal over temporary. Peace over chaos. Humility over pride. Legacy over position. It's choosing Jesus over the world.

These five truths have stood the test of time in my life. And if you hold onto them, they’ll steady yours as well.

Because in the end, wisdom isn’t about knowing more—it’s about living better.