Common Sense…What Is It? Do We Use It?
Matthew 8:24-26
My mother had a saying “If it weren’t for common sense, there would be no sense at all.” She would further expand on on the fact that all the education –book learning is what those born before 1950 called it, in the world cannot compensate for a lack of common sense. Today I call it educated ignorance.
Most, if not all of the drama and trauma we have in our lives is self-inflicted. We tend to plunge head on into situations that if we stopped and thought for a moment, would have different outcomes. Remember the definition of insanity is doing the same thing the same way and expecting a different result.
Are some problems really worth solving? Do we bend and twist our perceptions to make problems? Are some situations best when left alone? Here is an old tried and true method to determine the answer.
Common sense tells us to move on when solving the problem or improving the situation takes more than…
Five minutes
Five hours
Five days
Five weeks
Five months or
Five years
What is common sense? Many scholars, theologians, psychologists, psychiatrists, medical doctors, teachers, and even parents have tried to define the term. Let’s just say common sense is paying attention to the obvious.
Mark 4:37-39 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Do you suppose Jesus gave very much thought to this situation? It probably took longer to awaken out of his sleep than to foster his own common sense solution. In this situation, he showed his caring by calming the storm. Suppose instead Jesus started questioning the whys and what for, or had to make sure everything was to his liking before offering his rebuke.
Matthew 8:24-26 adds a little more flavor to the mix. “And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm?”
Do you get it? In other words, depending on the scope of the problem or situation, insanity kicks in if any of the timetables of five have passed and nothing is resolved. Move on and try something different, or let it be. Sometimes tabling a problem is not a solution because the resolution dies on the table.
So next time you or someone ponders a perceived problem, or believe there is a need to improve a situation…ask; “is common sense in use?”
© 2010 Sharon Moore Stenhouse -All Rights Reserved-
