Radical Wisdom: A 7-Day Journey for LeadersChikamu

Born Stoic, Die Epicurean

Wil Durant is credited with coining this platitude . . .

"Nations are born stoic, but they die epicurean."

I believe this is true about organizations and even individuals. We start out fending for ourselves. We scratch and scrape, wasting little and stretching every dollar and minute for all we can get out of it. As we get more prosperous, we loosen up. We’re a little less careful . . . a little more relaxed about our spending and how we use our time. We take up golf, or fishing, or photography. Our standards get higher and higher. We don’t want McDonalds anymore; we like fine dining, white tablecloths, and to be served with excellence!

I’ve watched organizations do this. The first office is a sublease with twenty-year-old furniture. Every customer is served like they’re the only one. Every employee does multiple jobs. It’s stoic, it’s stripped-down. It’s fantastic. 

But as success comes, the organization moves to “more appropriate” class-A office space. Everyone knows their single, specific job. Customers are handled by the appropriate department. And it’s so boring.

We start out living small and end up living larger and larger. What we have in abundance, we’re less careful with.

Only passionate leaders can slow this slide. It helps to recognize that we are stewards, not owners, and that our audience is God Himself, and our accountability is to Him.

Lead a life that loves people and uses things . . . not the reverse.

Question: So which have you become . . . stoic or epicurean? What about your organization? Your family? Your church? Make lists of things that you’ve allowed to become epicurean that could and should stay stoic. Ask God for the wisdom to see the waste, gluttony and largess He wants you to address. Then ask Him for the courage to act.