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              Is Common Sense Common?

Proverbs 3:21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion.

A fairly widespread practice is the use of the term “common sense”. When used, it is implied that there is some common wisdom acquired by just being a human being. The fact of the matter is that what makes “sense” common would be common experiences and common environments. There are very few experiences and environments that are common for all people. Because of this fact the term is quite often applied in the wrong situations. Typically what the user is referring to is some form of discretion. Discretion is defined as the ability to make sound decisions and judgments. When a person makes a bad decision or judgment, the response is that they didn’t use common sense. The other misconception is that somehow common sense is preferable to acquired knowledge and/or wisdom. It is a detrimental attitude to assume that your common experiences have been shared by someone else and vice-versa. There are certain life situations that are shared by all, but the wisdom accumulated from those situations are far from the same.

A player, parent or coach needs to understand that the situation is actually a matter of discretion. Let’s look at a scenario where the term might be misapplied. In the late innings of a baseball game a coach typically will pitch a left-handed reliever against a left-handed hitter. This particular coach decides to leave in the right-handed pitcher to face the lefty. Of course if the pitcher gives up a hit the parents, players and other fans will immediately say “it is common sense to replace the right-handed pitcher with a left-hander.” Now without getting into the numerous reasons the coach may have decided to remain with the right-handed pitcher, the parents, other player and fans most definitely do not have the same experiences and environmental influences to think that their judgment in some way is “common” to the coach hired or volunteering to make this decision. His poor discretion, lack of recognition and avoidance of words, actions or attitudes that would bring undesirable consequences, could possibly be argued. Not a lack of common sense.

It is important to know that wisdom includes discretion, but goes beyond it. Wisdom also includes the knowledge that comes from instruction, training and discipline. Lastly wisdom includes the understanding that comes with the insight to apply God’s truths. Discretion is a wonderful thing to posses but does not hold a candle to the benefits of wisdom. Character traits that follow a wise person are loyalty, kindness, recognition of evil, listener, seeker of knowledge and simply doing what’s right. Other benefits include a long satisfying life, favor with God and people, reputation for good judgment, success, good health, riches, honor, peace and protection. The truth is that “common sense” may result in some of these things but not on its own merit. It would most certainly take a large dose of wisdom to apply with the discretion to culminate in the great benefits of wisdom from God.

If we return to the earlier example of the baseball coach deciding to stick with the right-handed pitcher, what was viewed as common sense actually was his wisdom. Discretion deals with the ability to think on your own and to make choices. His wisdom lead him to use other factors in making the decision to stay with the rightie. Experiences and/or situations, such as which type of pitches were predicted as the best pitches for the batter, could have dictated the non-move. Who was the next hitter and was that hitter a more important out. Wisdom allows you to see and respond to situations from a point of view that has added knowledge and information that is in no way common. That additional knowledge will always be more beneficial than misunderstood “common sense”. Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom. Proverbs 4:7. Wisdom is liken to a woman who will always be of great benefit. Seeking her is a life long process that will result in all the great character traits mentioned earlier. True wisdom comes from God, and the beautiful thing is that if you ask for and diligently seeks her (wisdom), the riches and honor are all yours.

                                                                                                                   Fred Tudor

Fred Tudor is a eighteen year employee of the Cincinnati Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher. He has been coaching at the high school level in Greater Cincinnati since graduating from Wittenberg University in 1979. His coaching stints includes stops at his alma mater Walnut Hills High School, Hughes Center High School, and from 1990 until present coaches at Wyoming High School. His church home is Cincinnati Bibleway Church in Madisonville, Apostles James and Grace Blue Pastors.

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