Many people pursue knowledge. They believe the more they know the better they will be. There is a false sense of security in knowledge. Let’s make no mistake. Knowledge is important. But spouting statistics or dates or locations or names of people randomly doesn’t do much good. For knowledge to do good, there needs to be context and a point of use for it.
Now, wisdom is the ability to take bits of knowledge and understand how to apply them in a specific context or situation. It is understanding that the best information relayed during a baseball game revolves around a player’s statistics or team trends in a specific situation. Or, when working in healthcare, provide the patient’s vital signs or medications they are prescribed.
But that is only one example of wisdom. True wisdom begins with our awe and respect for God. It includes understanding that all knowledge and wisdom come from God. Without God, we would have no knowledge, for God is the giver of knowledge. Applying that knowledge in useful ways in a specific situation is wisdom, which is also a gift from God.
Our pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is a continual process. We should never stop learning. That learning often comes by instruction from people with more experience and education than we have. Instruction does not happen solely in a classroom but can occur around our dinner table, working in the yard, at work, and while attending worship services. We all encounter people who have more knowledge about certain things than we do, and we have more knowledge than others in certain things.
Wisdom is knowing which situation we are in. Are we the one with knowledge or are we the one who needs to listen? Honoring God and following his instruction aids us in better understanding when to speak and when to listen. Rather than being a fool, we should all strive to be the wise servant of God who is open to instruction and asking God for wisdom.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Marty Pressey 