Wisdom In All Things Special Series
You might say that it was Benjamin Franklin’s disillusionment with a sermon on Philippians 4:8 that was at least partly responsible for his conceiving of “the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection” that is his 13 virtues.
A wise life is a virtuous life. There is an expectation of behavior from someone who claims to be wise. This 13-part series will seek to help us understand a life that is exemplified by the characteristics elevated by this great American statesman.
EXPOSE | Order
“Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.” – Benjamin Franklin
EXPLORE | Put Mornings In Their Proper Order
Does that first part of his quote sound familiar to you? In looking it up, it is possible that he may be responsible for the phrase: “a place for everything and everything in its place.” It was attributed to a few people, but I like the idea that Ben said it–because that is exactly what he is saying.
Order is both quality and quantity. Every ‘thing’ has its own place, assuming that each ‘thing’ is important enough to warrant a place.
If it is going to be kept, then it must be worthy, and if it is worthy, it must have a place. “Things” without places, are perhaps “things” that should not have a place. This is hinted at in the definition of order: “arrange (something) in a methodical or appropriate way.” (emphasis mine)
Taking the time to bring about order is to take the necessary time to prioritize what is essential. Doing so, as the latter part of Franklin’s statement reads, will allow you “room” for your business. That is the real work or focus of your life.
Benjamin hoped having order “would allow [him] more time for attending to [his] project and [his] studies.” To ensure that order would allow him the space to tackle more pressing and valuable concerns, here is how Benjamin Franklin ordered (it is actually titled ‘scheme’) his day:
Morning (5a-8a)
“Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive the days business, and take the resolution of the day; prosecute the present study, and breakfast.”Work (8a-12p)
Noon (12p-2p)
“Read, or look over my accounts, and dine.”Work (2p-6p)
Evening (6p-10p)
“Put things in their places. Supper. Music, or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day.”Sleep (10p-5a)
I was immediately taken by the fact that he had an excellent morning routine, not to mention that he allowed 3 hours for it! He started his day with the proper order of things. His addressing the “Powerful Goodness” went something like this:
“O powerful goodness! Bountiful Father! Merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates…”
EXECUTE | Bringing Order
If you wanted to dig into the morning routine, I tried to make the argument that you really ought to become a morning person. Here are a few other points I would highlight about bringing order to your life:
- Find a place for your keys. I mean this both literally, and figuratively. Make it easy to eliminate the potential daily frustrations and distractions! Even by just having a place for your phone and keys. Having fewer, or easier, decisions to make is one advantage of order.
- Order creates time and space. When you prioritize, and place those things where they need to go, order will create space in your life and your schedule. It is almost like a reset. You clear the clutter and establish a starting point for building order into each day.
- Be your own critic. In order to maintain order, you’ll want to consistently evaluate how you spend your time–and ban the offenders! Being particularly critical of those things that don’t have a place, or, have a place, but shouldn’t.
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues – ebook & audio set
Drawing inspiration from Paul’s letter (Phil. 4:8) and Benjamin Franklin’s quest for virtuous living, this e-book and audio set aims to explore and put into practice these virtues as we exercise Wisdom In All Things.
Benjamin Franklin’s Grand Plan
Franklin’s “meticulous execution” of his 13 virtues was embodied in a chart he developed in order to observe and quantify his growth toward perfection.
There are a number of examples of his chart available, but here is one for reference from Homeschool Patriot:
Whether you use this chart, or devise something yourself, it is certainly in your best interest to have some tool in place to not only keep you focused, but to establish the habit of intentional growth in those characteristics that make up the virtuous life.
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Further reading:
Franklin autobiography
6 easy ways to get your life in order today
