Do you feel sometimes like a mouse on a wheel? You are forever going round and round. Using up energy. But not actually doing anything; not producing anything; not achieving anything? I believe some people may know this feeling. Even fewer have a sense of accomplishment. Why? Because many lack the simple common sense that we should be endowed with. Too spiritually minded - you are of no earthly use. Too earthly-minded and you are of no spiritual use. Some people struggle with common sense in their character. Others struggle with it spiritually. But first, what is common sense? Common is just ordinary things. For everyone. No need to be an intellectual giant. Sense - knowing something is right, without exactly explaining how you know. For instance, leaving a door open, with a pet living inside, is not common sense. That to me is clear. But then again, to someone who has animals straying in and out of their doorless house, closing the door, makes no sense. Why keep the strays in? A person uses a fork, as it is common sense that you don’t use the fingers you cleaned your nose with, then use the same fingers to eat with. Common sense. Yet to another, it is common sense not to use a fork which has been washed with filthy water, after someone put it in their germ-ridden mouth. So you see, whilst common sense is supposed to be that which is clear to all – common – unfortunately it is not at all clear to all. A person sees a new roof and puts a hole in it. Why? To test if it will leak. Another starts work on a Tuesday and ends on a Friday, yet receives 6 days’ pay. Why? Common sense. They must get it or they will not turn up Wednesday the following week. Common sense should be that which is clear and obvious to all. But is it a person’s social structure that determines what the level of common sense should be; rather than up to the individual. One person’s common sense - for another is sheer brilliance and yet to another is foolishness. I think it is really a social thing, inherited by where you are socially. I might be wrong. Now, what is the standard for someone with no common sense? Who decides the standard of “common sense” whereby if you do not pass the level, you then go to the category of “witless”? Job 11: 12 tells you how impossible it is for a witless man to become wise. The word ‘witless’ is also translated as stupid, idiot, empty-headed. I am sure that this is not a social description of a peer group to peer group, for there are bunches of these types of people who see life in the same way. Ps 62: 9 uses ‘lowborn’ but this speaks of their physical social status rather than their intellectual status. James 2: 20 is clearly speaking of spiritual foolishness. Rom 1: 22 crosses these two over- physical, social status to spiritual status. So, back to my point. What is the yardstick by which one measures common sense? Is it how you perceive it? But not all have the same view of life as you do. Is it the majority viewpoint? I don’t think so. I have observed the majority of people, walk out in front of cars, and put their hands up to stop the traffic so they can cross the road. To me, that lacks common sense. I mean, it is a road. And you are supposed to wait till there is no traffic before you cross the road. Or a person dashes out in front of you, you almost hit them; yet behind you are no cars. So, what was the purpose of dashing out in front of a car; almost being killed; when all you had to do is wait for the car to pass, then leisurely cross the road? Is that a witless person? An idiot? Empty headed? Or all of the above? If you can’t beat them, join them. And solve what? Prove what? That you have no common sense? Sadly, this must be taught at an early age, even before 3. Then reinforced always. So, what to do with a new tin sheet? Use common sense. Put a hole in it so you have to call back work. So, is common sense cultural? Social? Inbred? Learnt? Why only a few seem to have it? Unless you are using the wrong gauge method.
MCC_Admin