Wisdom! How do you think of wisdom?
In some cultures, wisdom is considered the gift of the aged. Others think of the wisdom of children.
We talk about "street smarts." We use the expression, "Penny wise and pound foolish." Jesus spoke of the wisdom of the simple.
So what does this passage from Proverbs tell us about wisdom? First it is placed securely in prudence. Knowledge, discretion, counsel and understanding are included.
What is not part of wisdom is pride, arrogance, evil and a "perverse" mouth. Wisdom doesn't make snap decisions or judgments. Wisdom is not proud but humble.
The wise person recognizes wisdom in others and is willing to learn from them. Some of the wisest people that I have known were not the best educated, but had a thirst for knowledge that never stopped as they grew older. I have spoken with teachers who knew that there were times when their students had as much to teach them as they had to teach their students.
The wise person listens. Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who only wants to talk about themselves, and who interrupts others constantly? These are people who have no interest in learning from others.
There is no one who has all the knowledge and the wise person will continue to listen and learn from others. I know people who think that if you use big words, you will sound intelligent. I have found that people who do this often use words that are inappropriate for the situation.
I also worked with a man who had a Doctoral Degree and was so well respected that the college he worked for kept him on as a consultant long after he retired. This man loved God and could explain the Scriptures to the well-educated and also to those who had no education. I considered him one of the wisest people I have known.
