From Wikipedia

Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, self-transcendence and non-attachment, and virtues such as ethics and benevolence.

A sapient person is what I strive to be. That is just a fancy way of saying I want to be a wise person, a truly wise person. The best step I took in that direction was to decide many years ago that my life is not much good unless it is in the hands of God and His son Jesus Christ. I am not embarrassed or afraid to admit that. The times in my life when I forgot that and decided to take total control of my circumstances (that is impossible actually) have led to disaster.

Like George Bailey, I thought I knew what I was going to do today, tomorrow and the next day, make a lot of money and see the world. The Lord did not become an afterthought but was sure not my first thought in the morning or any other time. My desire to be a successful businessman like other folks I knew and envied became too strong, and it caused me to neglect my relationship with God and my family. My pastor, my father, and my wife, all tried to counsel me during that time, but I was not receptive. I lost it all. The business failed, we had to sell it, and I was left, in my mind, with nothing. Yet, my desire to be like the rich folks we sold to, well let's just say it was an eight-year struggle for me and worse for Diane. She told me once that to her it felt like I had another woman somewhere. It upset me to hear that, but eventually, I understood why she would feel that way. God finally met me one dark day and turned me around. He gave me some wisdom which helped me learn from my mistakes. I learned to trust Him instead of devising my own schemes. I learned to rely on Him, and that made me a better person, a person who those around me could see had changed. I thank God every day for that.

PROVERBS 24

1 Don’t envy evil people

or desire their company.

2 For their hearts plot violence,

and their words always stir up trouble.

3 A house is built by wisdom

and becomes strong through good sense.

4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled

with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

5 The wise are mightier than the strong,

and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;

victory depends on having many advisers.

7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.

Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

8 A person who plans evil

will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;

everyone detests a mocker.

10 If you fail under pressure,

your strength is too small.

11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;

save them as they stagger to their death.

12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”

For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.