Words of Wisdom from Bruce Lee

Recently I read this quote from Bruce Lee: “Instead of buying your children all the things you never had, you should teach them all the things you were never taught. Material wears out but knowledge stays.”

That quote really got me thinking. First of all, I think it meant things I was never taught in my youth or as a young adult as opposed to what I have learned since becoming a Christ follower. I guess you could call it BC (Before Christ came into my life) and AD (“After Dat”). There truly was a line of demarcation in my life and it occurred for me in my early thirties.

The idea of sharing the lessons I have learned brought to mind the lyrics to the song, Younger Me, by Mercy Me:

Dear younger me

Where do I start

If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far

Then you could be

One step ahead

Of all the painful memories still running thru my head

I wonder how much different things would be…If I knew then what I know now.

Well, I can’t change the past, but I can have a positive influence on someone else’s present and future. Why waste what I learned by my mistakes and adversity that have since been filtered and refined through my relationship with The God of the Universe?

Young me was never taught about God’s amazing grace—even though I attended parochial grade school.

Young me was never taught that heaven is a gift to those who trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead, young me was taught that heaven is earned by good works and by being good—although young me was never taught how good is good enough.

Young me wasn’t taught how to handle when “bad” things happen to “good” people.

Young me was never taught that it’s not about me.

Young me wasn’t taught to share my faith or how—even though Jesus tells his followers to “go and make disciples”.

Young me wasn’t taught that religion is not the way to heaven.

Young me wasn’t taught that a relationship with God is the goal, the treasure and the purpose of life.

Bruce Lee also said, “The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus.”

As I sharpened my focus these thoughts came to mind:

More is caught than taught. So I ask myself, first of all, “Am I leading a life worth imitating? And also, “Has God given me a story worth telling?” I think he has and I can honor him and help someone else by telling my story—including the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all.

It’s 4th quarter for me. Time is running out…I only have a finite number of days left here on earth. It should actually be obvious to every adult, that as the writer of Psalm 39:4 says, we each have a “brief time on earth”, that “our days are numbered” and “our life is fleeting”.

In addition, I feel I have also been personally warned repeatedly by my Savior. During the past few years, I have experienced:

-the deaths of several friends,

-a good friend moving to a special retirement home for those with severe dementia

-several friends being diagnosed with major illness

-and I experienced a minor stroke.

By the way, Bruce Lee died at age 33 so there’s no guarantee on how many years we get.

As they say, “Every day is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.” With God’s help, I plan to use my “present” to help teach my kids and grandkids what I wasn’t taught when I was young, but have since learned by the grace of God.

What about you? Maybe you want to consider giving the gift that keeps on giving— a true legacy gift— the gift of sharing important things you weren’t taught when you were young, but God has since taught you. It seems to me, wisdom is a priceless yet invaluable gift.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the FATC FORUM or give me a call if you’d like to talk in person.