Our text is Proverbs 16:22.
“Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it.”
Let me paraphrase, “If you understand why you do what you do, you will have a better life.”
Did you ever do things and not understand why you did them?
If your answer is that you do what you do just because you have always done things that way, then maybe you need to reevaluate things.
An experiment was done to cause us to consider ways. Here was the experiment. You start with a cage containing five monkeys. In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the monkeys with cold water. I know that sounds mean, but stay with me.
After a while, another monkey will make an attempt but will be met with the same response – all of the monkeys are sprayed with cold water.
Keep this up for several days and then stop spraying the water. Never use the water again. If, later, another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it even though no water sprays them.
Now, remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new monkey. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer who has never experienced the water takes part in the attack.
Do this until all the original monkey have been replaced. Finally there are no monkeys in the cage who have ever been sprayed with water. However, they still attack any monkey who goes for the banana. Finally no monkey ever again approaches the stairs.
Why not? “Because that’s the way it’s always been done around here.”
Hmmm?
Those are truly words worth thinking.
Lonnie Davis