Bede, who lived from 672 to 735, was as close to being a know-it-all as you can get. And I don’t mean that in a pejorative sense, either. Bede, from his earliest days, read everything, studied everything. became adept at all manners of scholarship–philosophy, astronomy, languages, mathematics, sciences, so much more–and he wrote prolifically. He sometimes wrote books just for himself because he believed they might someday be handy!

Bede was smart, all right. He was one of the leading scholars of Greek in all the British Isles during his life. He was consulted by innumerable people on countless subjects (you don’t get to be nicknamed “The Venerable” unless you have those Merlin-like qualities of oracular wisdom). No doubt, too, Bede was an introvert. He preferred piety and scholarship, learning and ideas, languages and arts, stars and the sea to crowds, groups, meetings, networking, book-signings (or equivalent receptions for his brilliant works–there not yet being any printing presses or the like).

In fact, upon learning of his many fine qualities, the Pope summoned Bede to come to Rome. Bede, however, found a way around that summons that somehow did not end his career. He was indeed venerable! What is more, throughout his life, Bede never lived more than a few furlongs from where he was born. He found life and wisdom where he was–he did not need to go elsewhere in search of it.

One of the people whom I credit with saving my own life is a man who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Rev. J. Howard Cherry, who is soon to be 80 years old. He, too, is venerable. Like Bede, Howard is renowned for his Greek scholarship (winning an award in seminary for his substantial abilities with that ancient language). He is wise, he is caring, he is well-versed and oracular…and he, like Bede, has never lived or worked more than six or seven miles from where he was born (and where he lives today). Howard managed to put off the church elite who wanted to move him hither or yon while still maintaining his pastoral position and doing his work of “being Howard.”

We have much to learn from these, the wise of yesterday and today. And we can learn it right where we are!