"The Sufi tell about a spiritual elder who asked the disciples to name what was most important in life: wisdom or action? The disciples were unanimous in their opinions: "It’s action, of course," they said. "After all, of what use is wisdom that does not show itself in action?" "Well, perhaps," the master said, "but of what use is action that proceeds from an unenlightened heart?"
              – taken from How Shall We Live? by Joan Chittister, OSB

Wisdom or action? It is a compelling question. I believe, almost always, in our culture we choose action over wisdom. We are a "do" society….it is almost always better to do something…..anything….than to be in a place of inaction. This is true in work settings, in our daily lives, in our relationships, in our faith communities. To be perceived as "doing nothing" is seen as a weakness.

Yet we have all seen the repercussions of what happens when action ‘proceeds from an unenlightened heart.’ There is almost always back pedaling and  massive, painful cleanup involved.  From world politics and global conflicts to the encounters we have with difficult people and difficult job situations, how might the outcome be different if we took the time….and that’s what it takes…to discern and be open to an enlightened heart?

We do after all have a perfect role model for this: "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness…..When Jesus had come down from the mountain.…That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea….After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee and he went up the mountain, where he sat down..……The Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and he said to his disciples:"Sit here while I go over there and pray." Jesus always preceded action with the time and space to seek after wisdom.

Summer days can be all filled up with action, lots and lots of action. But they can also be a time when we can take moments  to be open to the movement of the Holy that lead us to the wisdom of the enlightened heart. The beautiful flowers and plants blooming around us in this season come to us, not through action of the immediate but from the slow, methodical process of growing and reaching toward the Source of All.

Wisdom or action? What do you think?