Wisdom is the Principal Thing — Get Wisdom!
We have all heard the phrase “right place at the right time”. That was my daughter when she just happened to be at a conference in Hawaii and the conference director asked if she would sing a song at one of the events. Always prepared with a soundtrack back then, she did sing and belted out the lyrics like there was no tomorrow. At the back of that room was Peter Lowe, the host/director of the notorious Get Motivated Success Events that included speakers: presidents and wives, like George & Laura Bush, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, Margaret Thatcher, football legends like Joe Montana and , motivational speakers to the likes of Zig Ziglar and Tom Hopkins. Peter asked Staci to sing at his next event and for the next 12 years she was honored to be a part of those events around the country. That was definitely right place; right time.
But what about wrong place; wrong time? As I was reading my Facebook/OnThisDay – a few days ago, this first photo from 2012 came up along with the explanation: “ As a statement of faith, Ryan Lochte has said all year that his time has come. On Saturday evening he matched deeds to words by surging to a majestic victory over Michael Phelps in the first of their two London Olympics medley duels at the Aquatics Centre. “I feel amazing, knowing that for the last four years I have put in all that hard work. I have said this before, that this is my year.” My comment on that post read “Lochte sets a great example for anyone who has a huge dream and goal: speaking the faith-filled words and putting those words to action with the hard work it takes the achieve the prize!!” Oh me!
That was in 2012. Fast forward to the 2016 Olympics when he, along with other swimmers, were returning to the Olympic Village from a party, and they stopped at a gas station to use the restroom. Days later, Rio police held a news conference and said the athletes had vandalized the restroom, breaking a soap dispenser and mirror, as well as destroying a poster outside the bathroom. There was outrage against Lochte in media accounts around the world. Wrong place; wrong time.
Some good news came a couple of weeks ago — after 10 months of grueling investigations, enormous legal expenses and efforts to repair his name. “We are pleased that the court has finally dismissed the criminal prosecution against Mr. Lochte, while at the same time, appropriately recognizing that he committed no crime. It has been a long year, but in the end, justice prevailed,” said Jeff Ostrow, Lochte’s Florida-based attorney, in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. Good news for Lochte, but think about the implications of being at the wrong place; wrong time. At the 2016 Olympic games Lochte was ridiculed publicly for days and lost sponsors after Rio police asserted his story was a fabrication – infamously claiming one of the assailants put a gun to his forehead. The USA TODAY investigation found no evidence that the men had vandalized a bathroom at the gas station that night, as authorities had alleged. Lochte acknowledged he was intoxicated at the time and apologized for the negative attention he brought on the U.S. swim team. He was suspended from the U.S. national swim team for 10 months for his actions at the gas station, a penalty that ended July 1.
Every day we have the opportunity to be people of integrity, honor and character, and everyday we have the opportunity to be at the right place at the right time. I remember asking my mom could I go here or there and her response to me was “Let your conscience be your guide.” That simple phrase said “Be sure to be at the right place at the right time – not the wrong place at the wrong time.”
My grandson and his buddy were all hyped about the release of the latest “Star Wars” movie and decided to don their Star Wars costumes with their light sabers and run around the neighborhood to save the day for anyone in distress. What they didn’t realize that it was the wrong place at the wrong time when a concerned parent thought they could be individuals who could potentially bring harm to the children that were outside playing, so he contacted the police. The boys were confronted with “wisdom” in the form of a police officer that night.
Wisdom goes a long way when we realize that even the most innocent of intentions could be misconstrued if it’s the “wrong place at the wrong time”. Perhaps a good dose of wisdom could have saved the day and time and financial means for Ryan Lochte and I’m quite sure he would tell us that today. Perhaps, we need to hang out more with her…WISDOM!
Proverbs 4:6-7 “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”