Conventional Wisdom - Shmizdom

Painting by Bryan S. Welborn, 1995

Conventional wisdom. I hate those words. Maybe because they assume an equation that will equal a definitive sum. But there really are no guarantees in life.

For example, there is a Christian finance expert who purports that no one should ever buy a new car. Well, if no one ever bought a new car, then they would stop selling new cars and then they would all be used cars. Soon, we would be buying used-used cars and pretty soon be back to horse and buggy when all the cars end up in the junk yard.

Also, that point of view seems to say that only the ungodly can buy the new cars but Christians must drive the used cars. I think there’s something wrong with that, even though I’m not a ‘prosperity gospel’ type of person!

Conventional wisdom says - wait until you can afford kids to have them. If most of us took this advice we wouldn’t have kids until we were ready to retire! Besides, there is no guarantee that they won’t develop some kind of health problem that ends up costing you any chance at having a savings account, which is exactly what happened to us.

If you waited until you were ‘financially able’ to have kids, what happens when you have a heart attack or cancer diagnosis in your 40’s? They don’t take them back, I checked. Just kidding! I always told my kids that even if there was a mixup at the hospital and they tell me that you aren’t mine, it doesn’t matter – YOU are mine and always will be!

Now I’m not saying that anybody anytime should have a kid just because they want to. There does need to be some responsibility on the part of the parents. But it would take a lifetime to plan for every contingency so by the time you’re ready to live…it’s over!

Some sermon title artwork from Calvary. Bryan also edits the weekly television show and creates videos as needed.

Conventional wisdom also says that what you eat or how ‘healthy’ you are determines if you’ll have a heart attack or cancer. But this wisdom never seems to account for people who have never smoked developing lung cancer, or vegetarians who run 3 miles a day having a major heart attack. Or why children, who haven’t a lifetime of unhealthy eating behind them, will develop cancer or have other major medical issues?

Conventional wisdom – If you work hard and pay your dues, you will get what you have struggled so long for. My husband is a great artist and has a talent that should be raking in millions. But the so-called experts who have seen his portfolio only say ‘they see good art all day long.’ You can be a great artist and still just work for a non-profit. Not every great singer becomes a star, not every good drummer becomes a part of a well-known band.

Logo Designs from my husbands website, WelbornWorks.com

But with blessings from God, you can make a living doing what you were created to do. “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.”

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time…”

Ecc. 2:24, 3:11