“The Art of War”
“Freakonomics”
“Outliers: The Story of Success”
“Rich Dad Poor Dad”
“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
“Built to Last-Successful Habits of Visionary Companies”
“Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t “
“Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else”
Even the venerable, “How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is there. Earlier in my professional career, I devoured every major business and self-help book that had been recommended by various pundits. My office has two bookshelves filled with these books. Included with these books are biographies of great leaders like John Adams, Andrew Jackson and Harry S Truman and entrepreneurs like Rockefeller and Carnegie. From these books, I learned many important life lessons which I pass along to my mentees and employees. However, the additions to my library stopped about fifteen years ago. Although there was wisdom in these books, I found that the time I spent reading them was taking away time that I could have spent reading the Bible. I was substituting the wisdom of man for the wisdom of God.
But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 (NASB)
The author of the book of Ecclesiastes is usually acknowledged to be King Solomon, considered to be one of the wisest men who ever lived. He read and wrote many books and was an expert in many different areas of scientific study. Yet, at the end of his life, he reflected upon all the time he spent in these scholarly pursuits that was attempting to gain wisdom and arrived at an inescapable conclusion. The only true wisdom is found in a relationship with God, studying and meditating upon His Word.
All of the wisdom of man comes from God and can only be found in the Bible. Don’t waste a lifetime seeking answers to life when God has revealed the Truth to us through faith and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen!
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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