Common Sense

Common Sense

I have a friend who believes anything and everything that someone tells him. I’m amazed at how gullible he is and yet, is so very smart with books. He can talk about building a chemical processing plant, geography, sciences, and things I’ve never heard of.

Recently someone told him a real big whopper. The person telling it liked to brag was very believable and compelling.

My friend took the information – and now has problems.

Nothing that the liar had to say can be validated, or substantiated, or nothing tangible can be found.

“Only a simpleton believes everything he is told! A prudent man understands the need of proof. A wise man is cautious and avoids danger, a fool plunges ahead with great confidence.” Proverbs 14:15-16

Book learning is a wonderful thing, but without common sense to go along with it, I think a person is flawed. My grandfather used to say they were “educated fools”. I don’t know of a way to teach someone common sense. I think that they have to figure that one out on their own.

I just hope there is a life’s lesson learned in the midst of all of this and that somehow he will gain a valuable but costly education. I hope that in the end there will be peace in his valley – and – in the interim, we’ll just have to pray some special for him.

Be wise in your choices, especially in the company you keep. We never really know people, and, many are out to get whatever they can from others.