"The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor"
the wise will inherit honor
The person who seeks out the best and godly choice consistently is given greater value. People trust them and are encouraged to give them greater responsibility. We should not seek to gain advantage on the backs of the honor of others.
If you want people to give you honor – to see your value and give you more value – then you must push for the triple-win choice constantly and not pull another down to make yourself look smart.
but fools display dishonor
The key here is that the morally foolish are constantly devaluing themselves and others. If doing what you have to do causes others to be devalued, then it is foolishness. God would have us dig for that which is valuable in others. He would not want us to be involved in promoting that which devalues others or ourselves.
When you have to take someone else down a few pegs to accomplish your mission, then it cannot be the correct idea. It is not reflective of wisdom. Not too long ago I was seeking to explain a situation which had happened to me, and I realized that the easiest way to explain it to others was as someone else's fault – which I could prove. But then I would be a fool in my explanation. I needed to dig for a wise way to explain the circumstances and my decision that did not require me to expose another person to shame, ridicule, and mistrust.
Many times our stories, jokes, or even manner puts others down and destroys the other person's reputation. This course should not be pursued unless absolutely necessary to protect others from harm. It must not be pursued to bolster our reputation or position.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz