Since I was 16 this is my first summer without a job or internship, I always had something to do and thinking back the other day I remembered been 16 years old and getting paid $16.00 an hour just to play bingo, go fishing, watch movies, attend baseball games with clients from the nursing home. I spent countless hours just sitting and interacting with the clients as they share their past and experience. At the moment it was just a job but after that summer I realize how much i learned from the men and women I worked with. Sadly today we live in a culture that reveres the youth and the older generation are kept away and ignore in nursing homes/group homes. These men and women have experience life the good and the bad but they don't get to share that wisdom they have.
A while back my teacher asked what is wisdom? I blurted out with 200% conviction in me that "Wisdom is the principal thing." I remembered him laughing right after I said it. Till today he never forgot and occasionally use it to joke around with me. It was the bible definition that I have been thought many years ago and it was almost like defining faith as the act of faith.
I find it somewhat irritating when many confuse wisdom with Knowledge. I got the definitions of wisdom and knowledge below from the oxford dictionary
Wisdom - the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
Knowledge - facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.
Mathematically speaking, Knowledge = correct information + understanding (No matter how many books you have read it is nothing without understanding) and being able to apply that knowledge = wisdom.
Now the elderly may not have even attended high school during their age but there is still a good number of wise ones among and at the same time there are people that may have bachelor, masters or even PhD and the term wise cannot be use to describe them.
2 Types of wisdom?
James 3:13-18
Worldly wisdom- verse 14 describe it as full of bitter jealously and selfish ambition in the hearts, this wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. Earthly wisdom i would say is the one that we gain from school or any form of education. This is great but may not be an all round wisdom. The devilish and unspiritual wisdom I will say include that type of wisdom to do evil things in a smart way e.g 419/feudalism.
Wisdom from above - This is the greatest wisdom and it is a gift from the Lord. Now this wisdom from according to James 3:17 - "... is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere" This wisdom kept Daniel safe in the lions den, it turn Joseph from prisoner to minister and basically distinguish you from several people around you. I mean I have definitely read blogs by people that I'm just like wow this is indeed God's wisdom.
How do you get this wisdom?
It clearly cannot be bought rather it is a Divine endowment from God. It is one of the gift of the holy spirit and if you desire it you can definitely get it. "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you - James 1:5"
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2)
If you said yes to my first two questions of this post let me leave you with one more question. It is the wisdom from above or below?
Have a great week!
Much loves
Ms. YSU
I really do appreciate each an every readers and followers of my blog as I continue on the journey to learning and writing and teaching myself.
This was an inspiring and insightful post for me, and I thank God for using you to share it.
ReplyDeleteI really love the definition of wisdom as "the ability to apply knowledge," or "the quality of knowledge." Knowledge is nothing without wisdom; they walk hand-in-hand.
I need a job that will pay me $16 an hour this summer. Hmm....
ReplyDeleteInspiring post.
ReplyDeleteI cant really call myself a wise person because I imagine I am ignorant in sooo many ways.
With regards to wisdom, I have to say that I have come across some young people who are incredibly wise. In the same way, I have come across some old people I can only describe as old fools. Do read my take on this here: http://naijamuminlondon.blogspot.com/2010/11/old-age-experience-wisdom-pt1.html
If someone keeps on repeating the same mistake, they can only be referred to as a fool :(((
Do have a great week
The thing with Wisdom is we all think we are wise till we meet people who make us think otherwise.I guess its best 1 prays for GOD`s Guidance too when asking for wisdom coz Wisdom without Guidance can be dangerous. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI have a question though...
ReplyDeletewhat is the difference between the wisdom from above and the spirit of discernment?
I think I know but sometimes i really do get confused while trying to make a decision!
hmm! hmm..definitely not a wise person, if not i should be spending more time in prayers and reading the bible than browsing & watching t.v!
ReplyDelete@Jay I thank God for the opportunity too and you are so right knowledge and wisdom do work hand in hand
ReplyDelete@Madam Sting...Me too o...lol
@N.I.L I had to quickly run to you page to read your post and it is surely sad to see fully grown ones with little wisdom
@DiDi I like your take on wisdom very true
@ P.E.T Project Ah ah this question is the "you can run but you can't hide" one...I was going to write this post on knowledge, wisdom and discernment but decided to shy away from discernment but now i'm caught, so hear is my own understanding.. on the surface, Wisdom is the correct application of correct knowledge in bringing to pass divine results or better still desired results. Where as, Discernment of spirits is the divine ability to see the presence and activity of a spirit that motivates a human being, whether good or bad. The discerning of spirits gives members of the body of Christ insight into the spirit world, a realm that their five sences cannot enter. Examples, Acts 13: 9-10. In dicernment the holy spirit basically help us know what is wrong or right without even having any knowledge in that area as oppose to wisdom that apply the knowledge. I hope i'm even making sense because it can be quite confusing
@Ibhade...hehe
Wisdom def is the principal thing
ReplyDelete16dollars an hour?????
ReplyDeleteSHow me the way! lol
very inspiring post
Hey, you've been given the "SUNSHINE AWARD!" Please, check my page for more information.
ReplyDeletehttp://foreversweetlybroken.blogspot.com/
This is a great post my dear.
ReplyDeleteSomeone once said that "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit and wisdom is knowing that it should not be put in a fruit salad."
I always think that people who smoke have knowledge that smoking is bad for them, in this case "wisdom" (the application of the knowledge) would be to stop smoking but unfortunately wisdom is not that common....
I know I have a long way to go on this since I take things so lightly sometimes, but I'm learning.
ReplyDeleteI would sum up your post in one sentence: "Wisdom is the practical application of knowledge." beautiful stuff, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete@ Lady B...Surely is the principal thing
ReplyDelete@ Haha...thanks
@SB...Thank you sweety i'm greatly honored
@Gospelgirl...I love anyone that shed more light in a subject area and you definitely just did that with that smoking and tomato example...thanks dear :)
@Myne ...learning is the word for it one day and one step at a time
@Nonye....Thanks dear for the comment and for following, loving your blog already as well