Wisdom on why you need to be aware of yourself and who you surround yourself with in order to be authentic, with advice from the Bible, Jordan Peterson and Thomas Edison
Written by Vivienne Juan, Associate Elect
There is a scripture that was recently shared with me that encompasses exactly this — the combination of high-level awareness and self-awareness as key to living a truly authentic and meaningful life full of purpose. I feel it’s a really powerful one, and I would like to share it with you. It goes like this:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” ~ Matthew 10:16
While in the Bible context you’ve got Jesus Christ talking to his disciples, I feel these two lines are still so relevant today. We can all benefit by applying this wisdom in our everyday lives, and I’ve got a few really poignant YouTube Shorts videos to help me illustrate this.
First up, take a minute to check out what professor, clinical psychologist, and author, Dr Jordan Peterson has to say here in this video:
Here, Dr Peterson is basically saying, in the context of our Matthew 10:16 verse, figure out who are the ‘sheep’ and who are the ‘wolves’ in your life. There are way more wolves out there, so make sure you know what you really need, and exactly who is going to be a positive, upbuilding, and progressive force in achieving that for and with you.
Be Harmless as Doves…
The Greek word for harmless is ἀκέραιοι, which comes from ἀ (not), and κεράννυμι (to mix), and therefore means “to be unmixed”. In other words, to be pure. Purely human, natural, authentic you. The highest ideal you can conceptualise, not just as a theory, but a real living embodiment of it.
Yet when you stand apart from the rest, when you pioneer, blaze a new trail down the road less travelled, you will face inevitable criticism, especially if the fruits of your endeavours aren’t immediately evident to anyone else out there. Wolves and sheep don’t speak the same language, after all.
Don’t despair though, for you are in good company! In this next one-minute video, our Head Mentor at Lighthouse Global, Paul Waugh, gives you a quick rundown of one historically impactful example of what it takes to make your mark and really leave a legacy on this earth…
Can you imagine all of the haters that Thomas Edison would’ve had to deal with, over the course of 20 years?! Imagine if he gave in? If he didn’t back himself? It’s quite possible that without him striving to bring together relationships with the right kind of like-minded, like-hearted and like-spirited people in community to solve this problem of lighting our homes safely and effectively, we would quite literally be in dark times.
But First, Be Wise As Serpents!
That brings me to the final video I want to share with you. Here is Jordan Peterson again, teaching us how to stand up to those wolves… or as we would call them today — trolls!!
This is, effectively, how we ought to be wise as serpents. Streetwise as serpents! Be unapologetically firm, knowing you’re rooted in a conscience whose values are aligned with correct principles. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the trolling wanes or the hurt it causes subsides. It just means you know where you stand, and you become braver because of it. Our Head Mentor, Paul Waugh, said it best when it comes to this:
“Sometimes you will need to bring in a bit of venom. But in order to protect yourself only! You are going to have to bring in a bit of confrontation, you are going to have to tell them exactly where they stand. You take that snake and you mix it with the innocence of a dove and you’ve got the right mix.” ~ Paul Waugh
One thing I’d like to point out that has thus far been the unspoken thread of this blog… is that Jesus Christ was talking to his disciples. Plural. A group. A community. A family. And as Dr Peterson points out, as well as Paul Waugh does of Edison’s experience, our highest potential and value comes through community.
Missed that one? Scroll back up and check it out! Not only do you need to work that awareness and realise your authenticity, but you also need to find your kindred spirits to do so.
To learn about mentorship with Lighthouse Global on our mentoring & coaching page.
For more on handling toxic narcissism, and to get the right support, please check out our Parents Against Trolls & Trolling campaign.
Have a question? To send me feedback or share your thoughts,
please do get in touch and drop me an email — I’ll be happy to hear from you.