Dancing With Wisdom

S3 E08 Friendship allows us to be the best of ourselves. It confirms what we know to be true – that we were made for relationships. Yet many people lack friendship in their lives. They lack the skills to develop close friendships. And so they lack the meaning that friendships bring. Why is this so? What can we do about it? And where can we find the answers? https://youtu.be/C1PogGJwGJk To help us explore this vital topic, we are joined in conversation by John Wyatt – doctor, author, speaker and research scientist – who brings key insights from his book on friendship. Through the discussion we learn that wisdom has a lot to say about building close friendships. It shows us how to measure the health of our relationships and find deeper connections. And it helps us make sense of what it means to be human through the bonds we form. In this first episode of a 3-part series, we rediscover the potential of friendships. We gain a deeper understanding of why we often struggle with friendship within our cultural context. And we see that in spite of cynical views and complex issues surrounding friendship in general, applying wisdom to our own friendships can have transformative effects. As you will discover, John’s experiences and studies in friendship will enrich your own – leading to the genuine relationships we all long to have. Do join us in the conversation …

S3 E6 This is the third and final podcast of a three part series interviewing Mark Greene, author of “Thank God It’s Monday: Flourishing in Your Workplace”. Do watch or listen to part one and part two if you haven’t seen them yet. https://youtu.be/8WQK00Ee12Q God is interested in all of our life including the work we are doing. Our work can be an opportunity to bless and serve others in the midst of our more mundane responsibilities. In this conversation we get to know and understand Mark better as we ask him the following questions: 1. What is the greatest lesson you have learnt? 2. Your greatest successes and why? 3. How has failure shaped your life? 4. What do you see as your greatest strengths? 5. Who have been your mentors and role models? 6. What these days makes your heart beat faster? 7. What have you read that we should read? 8. What have you done that we should do? 9. What growing up was your picture of God? 10. If you had unlimited time and money with no responsibilities what would you do? Watch or listen to this podcast now to hear the whole discussion.

S3 E04 How can the work I do better reflect the person I am and aspire to be? To help us answer that question we have the privilege of interviewing Mark Greene. Mark is currently Mission Champion at the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. He is also author of the book “Thank God It’s Monday: Flourishing in Your Workplace”. https://youtu.be/3fPgJlLfplI Here is some more background on Mark from his bio that we unpack: “Mark grew up Jewish and joyous in North-West London. In his last month at university God wooed him not his kingdom and he went on to work for ten years in advertising in London and in New York. Gripped by a desire to dig into God’s word, he took a career break to study at the London School of Theology. The career break turned into a career change and he ended up on the staff, teaching Communications and Engaging with Contemporary Culture, and serving as Vice Principal. He joined the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity in 1999, eager to focus on the call to see all God’s people empowered to live their whole lives – Monday to Saturday as well as Sunday – in dynamic and fruitful relationship with Christ. His other books include Probably the Best Idea in the World, Fruitfulness on the Front Line, Adventure and the million-copy selling The Servant Queen and the King She Serves which explores the faith of Queen Elizabeth II. Mark’s married to Katriina, a Finn, and they have three splendidly different adult children. He enjoys films and fiction (a lot) and does a passable imitation of Mr Bean and a terrible one of Sean Connery. His wife wishes it were the other way round. His children wish he wouldn’t do either.” Do join us in this fascinating conversation on Mark’s life as we unpack what it means to live life as an integrated whole encompassing body, mind and spirit. The quote from L P Jacks we mention is: “A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labour and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.”  

In this second conversation of series 3 of the Dancing With Wisdom Podcast we discuss: – how wisdom is much more than finding solutions to the complex problems of our lives. – wisdom as bewildered curiosity and a path out of the cynicism and confusion of so much of modern life. – the place of God as the ultimate Infinite Intelligence behind the universe. – the surprising introduction of wisdom in the ancient book of Genesis that talks about the first man and woman. – Holocaust survivor and Jewish psychiatrist Victor Frankl’s three insights into what makes for good psychological health. …. and much more! You can listen to or watch the conversation below: https://youtu.be/wjzb_FyE0y0

When we seek to dance with wisdom, how does discipline affect our daily lives? That was a question to us from a subscriber, Emily inspired by the following proverb: “Do not forsake wisdom and she will protect you; love her and she will protect you.” (4:6) To help us answer Emily’s question, Elliott and I discuss: How can you build discipline in your life? How can you love wisdom instead of forsaking it? How can discipline help us grow in our life? How does working through personal confrontation, engagement with everything life gives us – good or painful – lead to wisdom and discipline? What activities can help us engage with life in all its complexity? How can wisdom help us decide what our identity and core values are? “Dancing with wisdom is about turning the world upside down from what it is now. Our secular world is promiscuous about sex, but private about faith. What would happen if faith promiscuously entered every area of life?” “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (3:5) Or in the words of Tim Keller: “To become wise is to become a disciplined person, given not to impulsiveness but to self-examination, to circumspection, and to clear thinking. It is to become a resilient person who through hard knocks has become poised and resourceful. As an athlete becomes physically competent only after rigorous training, so wisdom is hard won.” Watch this conversation to find out more!   https://youtu.be/_k9c34GQqxc

When many people think of the word legacy they often think in terms of money or property that is left for future generations. That has its place, but what about the legacy in terms of the footprint we leave in the lives of others when we are gone? That is the influence and impact we had on others through the way we lived and the choices we made. In this conversation we discuss the question of the legacy we leave and explore the following questions: When my life comes to and end, what do I want my legacy to be? How am I going to live today in the light of eternity? How do I make the most of this finite time on earth I have? So much of what we hope and long for is summarised in the following quote by Chris Wright: “The new creation will start with the unimaginable reservoir of all that human civilisation has accomplished in the old creation— but purged, cleansed, disinfected, sanctified and blessed. . . Think of the prospect! All human language, literature, art, music, science, business, sport, technological achievement— actual and potential— all available to us. All of it with the poison of evil and sin sucked out of it forever. . . Whatever it may be like, we can rest assured that, for those who are in Christ, anything that has enriched and blessed us in this life will not be lost, but infinitely enhanced in the resurrection and anything that we have not been able to enjoy in this life (because of disability, disease or premature death— or simply through the natural limitations of time and space) will be amply restored or compensated for in resurrection life.” Do join us in this conversation as we seek to live with confidence, joy, and the responsibility of knowing our life has consequences. Let’s make a difference in a world where there’s so much darkness and sadness. You can watch or listen to the 27 minute conversation below: https://youtu.be/aUDjjbGL0Sc

Life only makes sense in the context of relationships. That is the conclusion I have come to after many years of questioning and searching. When relationships are going well there can be no greater sense of joy and fulfilment. On the other hand, when relationships are going badly there can be no more painful frustration or headache. That’s certainly been my experience. In case you’re wondering the picture is of me around early 1968 with the friends from the street where we lived at the time in Allahabad, India. I am the one on the lower step at the front. We have no idea of what lies in store for each of us in the future! On this podcast as we learn to dance with wisdom we explore the question of relating: “How do I relate to others – my family, my friends, my work colleagues, those who come into my social orbit and the wider global village? Where do I find the healthy balance between sober seriousness and the fun in life?” (p.160) Do join my co-host Elliott Frisby and myself as we unpack this further and discuss: An apocryphal story of a wise man travelling between two cities that reveals how much our relationships reflect more about ourselves than we care to admit. Creating the time and capacity for those relationships that matter to me. The difference between transactional relationships and intentional (what may be called covenantal) friendships. The importance of safe people. The difference between wise, foolish and even evil people. The importance of forgiveness. In case you’re wondering the picture is of me around early 1968 with the friends from the street where we lived at the time in Allahabad, India. In case you’re wondering the boy in the picture sitting at the front is me around early 1968. We have no idea of what lies in store for each of us in the future! The link to the podcast is below. You can also watch the conversation on video here What questions, thoughts and ideas does this conversation bring up for you? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments!

Exploring the subject of wisdom is like looking at different facets of a diamond and even more so when we add an infinite reference point. As my co-host Elliott Frisby and I continue our conversation on what it means to define wisdom with respect to the Divine, we face the insight that our secular world conditions us to believe this life is all there is and that is all that matters. However, the fact is all religious traditions for thousands of years are agreed there is more to life than what we experience in this world. Indeed modern secular belief is out of keeping with much of human thinking since the dawn of time. It is not possible to make sense of this finite world without an infinite reference point. Do join us in this conversation as we explore: How the concept of emotional intelligence overlaps with wisdom, but is also different. The role of the Jewish carpenter in understanding wisdom. How the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job look at wisdom from different angles. How understanding wisdom is not just an intellectual exercise, but has a calling on how I fundamentally conduct my life. The link to the podcast is below. You can also watch the conversation on video here.