You’ll probably agree that we earthlings live on a troubled planet and may be on the verge of even bigger trouble. Terrorists and tyrants share this planet with those of us who are peaceful law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately they don’t want to share with anyone who differs in political views, religion, or race. Therein lies the problem — with potential for worsening problems.

Are there lessons from history to prevent the most deadly and destructive effects of power-crazed tyrannical political leaders? Can we learn how to avoid repeats of history’s greatest atrocities? Shall we be hopeful regarding the state of the planet or just give in to utter hopelessness?

The attack of Pearl Harbor and WW2 was a very difficult time for America. Some have thought we can learn valuable lessons from that time and have urged us to remember its lessons.

Gordon Prang, author of Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History, said, “Humanity cannot afford to forget the lessons of Pearl Harbor. The world is much too small, the risk is much too great, the time is much too late.”

President Franklin Roosevelt, to whom Americans looked for hope, said, “It is our obligation to the dead — it is our sacred obligation to their children and to our children — that we must never forget what we learned. And what we have  learned is this.

There is no such thing as security for any nation — or any individual in a world ruled by the principles of gangsterism.

There is no such thing as impregnable defense against powerful aggressors who sneak up in the dark and strike without warning.

We have learned that our ocean-girt hemisphere is not immune from severe attack — that we cannot measure our safety in terms of miles on any map anymore.”

I think history should be studied during times of peace and of uncertainty. Wise students are less likely to repeat the negative and more likely to follow the positive. Wisdom is a needed component while journeying through life. Believing this and knowing the Source of wisdom and accessing it are different matters.

If we all followed wisdom from above, then it would be easier to live with hearts full of hope. Even when all do not, we can still experience hope when we trust God as the Source of wisdom. Wise choices lead to righteous living, and sowing peace yields blessings to the  peacemakers. The Bible teaches wisdom to make wise choices and offers hope.

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, demonic.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

(James 3: 13 – 18)