I first heard of the sort-of famous poem titled the "Desiderata" when I came across a copy of the document posted on the inside of a door to a public restroom at a restaurant in 2008, as per the above photo.
A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with my love dove (one of my pet names for her) and we were talking about how to approach certain difficulties in the work world, especially given that we each had been sheltered and have each had to come to terms with how things work. A piece of feedback I had given her included a line from this document which states that the world is "full of trickery": [Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.] It is; this world is indeed full of trickery.
But - this document is not the Bible, nor should it be held in any regard even close to Scripture.
When I was not saved (of course, having grown up in a church, I didn't realize this til much later), I loved this document. It sounded nice, and it made me feel good. After all, this document is not necessarily a set of rules but rather guidelines for a person as they would make their way through life. At that time, having guidelines but not hard-and-fast rules was music to my ears.
But there was a problem (multiple, in fact): 1.) growing up, I never learned how to develop structure for myself, regardless of times when there was structure and times when there wasn't; I needed the rules and the rigidity from the Bible that I resisted in this season of my life; 2.) not only rules, but I also needed black-and-white clarity on what was true in life versus what was not, and on what was real in life versus what was not; 3.) theologically, the Desiderata isn't even Christian, despite the fact that multiple mainline/traditional churches have either posted this or shared this or preached this. The only reference to God is as follows (and even this is debatable): [Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.] That's it. There's no mention of Jesus, or any other hint that this is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, let alone the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I realize that some may balk at this and complain at what I've written. Further, some may say that all the Desiderata is is meant to be encouraging and uplifting. Perhaps it is, but I would still caution anyone who would listen, to guard their hearts and watch out for any doctrines that run the risk of being even slightly off compared with the Bible. I've been in such a place many times where I've let myself be taken by things that sounded nice, only to later realize that what first caused me to have gotten off the faith track was doctrine that was even slightly false. I would suggest getting to a point where you know the Bible so intimately that you cannot help but live according to its rules and principles, so that if you read other documents that are contrary to Scripture, you won't get swayed away.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23, NIV
Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6, NKJV
Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:12, NKJV
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, NKJV
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