SHREWDNESS IS IMPERATIVE | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: SHREWDNESS IS IMPERATIVE | Previous Challenge Entry
By Bancy Mwihaki
03/13/05
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I wonder, is someone born shrewd, or is shrewdness an acquired skill? It can be either innate or acquired, I believe. Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation whereby you are forced to use some survival skills and instincts, of which shrewdness is imperative. Say, for example, you get shipwrecked on a desert island. You’ll find yourself suddenly become very shrewd and crafty just to try and stay alive. Or maybe you are in a job that is very competitive and you need to acquire shrewdness as a skill to always have that advantage over others.

Shrewdness is all about making wise and realistic choices. A lot of things make us who we are, and this includes the choices that we make and the things we do as a result of these choices. Shrewdness is not only a quality we need to possess to be successful in our businesses or in our social lives, but also in our spiritual lives.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is a prime example of how well shrewdness pays off. He never lacked a wise answer to return to those who questioned Him or sought guidance from Him, like the Pharisees and the many that followed Him. Even at His temptation by Satan, He showed sharp wisdom when He used the Word of God to speak the truth boldly and avert temptation. In Matthew 10:16b, Jesus, when sending out the twelve disciples, instructed them to be “as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (NIV).

Sometimes when we try and be shrewd in our judgement, we risk being referred to as ‘wise in our own eyes’. It may mean being quick and clever in seeing where to gain an advantage over somebody else. It may mean having to plot, plan and carefully and tactfully calculate every move we make in our lives. But it is the fine line that distinguishes between the wise man and the foolish man, between success and failure. It’s knowing when and where to make the right move, like buying or selling shares in the stock market, or like making the crucial moves that determine the final outcome in a chess game.

It is often asked, “What makes a man a man?” I believe it’s the choices he makes and what he does with his life that defines him. Shrewdness can help the firefighter save a life at that defining moment, or help a surgeon at the operating table know what to do when an unforeseen crisis comes up. Shrewdness can help you make that decision that may determine success, either in your job, school, or relationships.

Our world today is chaotic and marred by confusion and strife, and everyone is always in a big rush to go somewhere or to do something. It will never cost us to take a minute and think before we act, to consider and reconsider our actions and their consequences. We may not always think it makes much of a difference, but shrewdness is always the distinguishing mark of success and of a great mind.

They say life is a gamble, but don’t just stand aside and be a spectator. Take part in all the challenges and activities that life has to offer, but remember, shrewdness is the ticket that will get you the success you need in making the right choices. For after all, what we think we become, and what we do defines our character and judges whether we act out of the abundance of wisdom, or out of the lack of it.

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