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What is Wisdom? - September 06, 2005
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5
Many people mistake intelligence for wisdom. But being smart doesn't make you wise. There are people in this world who may understand quantum physics, but when it comes to making wise decisions about relationships or morality, they are clueless.
Many people mistake cleverness for wisdom. But being clever doesn't make you wise. A clever investor can make a fortune in the commodities market, but a wise leader builds a company that benefits society and provides meaningful employment for its workforce.
Many people mistake knowledge for wisdom. But being knowledgeable doesn't make one wise. So if wisdom is not intelligence, cleverness or knowledge, then what is it?
The Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza defined wisdom as the ability to see all things from the viewpoint of eternity; the ability to see life from God's perspective.
As Isaiah 40:28 reads, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, Creator of the Earth. He is never weary or tired; his wisdom cannot be measured."
That is why we cannot truly become wise without immersing ourselves in the thoughts of God, as found in the Bible. You can only have wisdom when you know the Lord.
A wise person who can see life from an eternal perspective sees reality as it truly is, rather than filtering reality through wishful thinking. A wise person is able to anticipate and avoid life's pitfalls. He is better equipped to manage crises and solve problems.
I am convinced that true wisdom is the result of deliberate choices we make. Wisdom must be desired, sought out and pursued. So how do we do that?
If we want to become wise, we must make a conscious decision to learn from our mistakes and to avoid repeating them. We must also learn from our successes, building on the things that we have done right and learning principles of wisdom and achievement.
Equally important, we must learn from the mistakes and successes of others. As we read in Proverbs 13:20, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."
Finally, and most importantly, if we want to become wise, we must go to the source of all wisdom, God himself. Desire wisdom, seek wisdom, and go to God in prayer, asking for the wisdom to live an effective, Godly life. That is what true wisdom is all about.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5
Many people mistake intelligence for wisdom. But being smart doesn't make you wise. There are people in this world who may understand quantum physics, but when it comes to making wise decisions about relationships or morality, they are clueless.
Many people mistake cleverness for wisdom. But being clever doesn't make you wise. A clever investor can make a fortune in the commodities market, but a wise leader builds a company that benefits society and provides meaningful employment for its workforce.
Many people mistake knowledge for wisdom. But being knowledgeable doesn't make one wise. So if wisdom is not intelligence, cleverness or knowledge, then what is it?
The Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza defined wisdom as the ability to see all things from the viewpoint of eternity; the ability to see life from God's perspective.
As Isaiah 40:28 reads, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, Creator of the Earth. He is never weary or tired; his wisdom cannot be measured."
That is why we cannot truly become wise without immersing ourselves in the thoughts of God, as found in the Bible. You can only have wisdom when you know the Lord.
A wise person who can see life from an eternal perspective sees reality as it truly is, rather than filtering reality through wishful thinking. A wise person is able to anticipate and avoid life's pitfalls. He is better equipped to manage crises and solve problems.
I am convinced that true wisdom is the result of deliberate choices we make. Wisdom must be desired, sought out and pursued. So how do we do that?
If we want to become wise, we must make a conscious decision to learn from our mistakes and to avoid repeating them. We must also learn from our successes, building on the things that we have done right and learning principles of wisdom and achievement.
Equally important, we must learn from the mistakes and successes of others. As we read in Proverbs 13:20, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."
Finally, and most importantly, if we want to become wise, we must go to the source of all wisdom, God himself. Desire wisdom, seek wisdom, and go to God in prayer, asking for the wisdom to live an effective, Godly life. That is what true wisdom is all about.
