Why Brilliant and Wise People Can be Poor | Secrets of the Elite

A continuation on the series on the Secrets of the Elite

Ecclesiastes 9:13-16

 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: ¹⁴ There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. ¹⁵ Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. ¹⁶ So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

You can have good intentions or ‘good character’ that will probably take you to heaven, but in the sociology of day-to-day living, if you don’t have street wisdom, you will be despised by friends, family, and in your workplace.

You can be wise and despised if you are poor.

You can be brilliant and despised if you don’t have influence.

You must have appetite for life. Just as God loved Jacob and hated (preferred) Esau because he (Esau) was careless with life.

You must dare in life.

The man knew the strategy to save the city but he did not negotiate like Jephthah.

The elite always know how to negotiate what benefits them if they pay a price.