Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Being Wise II

Having often wondered about the difference between wisdom and knowledge, I have come to understand that wisdom is how knowledge is applied.

"Get wisdom! Get understanding!...Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting (knowledge seeking), get understanding."

--Proverbs 4:5 and 7

Wisdom is distinguished by understanding and makes knowledge applicable.

20 comments:

Silver said...

You have said it well. I agree! ;)The smartest person in the world could be a damn fool if he does not have wisdom but onlyknowledge.

~Silver
Reflections/
One Day at a Time

Judith Ellis said...

Agreed, Silver. Do come through again.

Pamela Cone said...

Wisdom is the purpose of any test.

Paul said, when he was a child he spoke as such, but when he became a man he put those things a way.

Re-test is not pleasant, necessary at times, but not pleasant.

The bruises left behind from the first should act as a reminder and as a symbol of our new earned wisdom.

Judith Ellis said...

"Wisdom is the purpose of any test."

Thanks for your comment, Pam. But I must say that I recoil at the idea of wisdom being a test. Wisdom is the applicable law of love. I also recoil at the thought of pain as a symbol and wisdom as its rememberance and forebearance. Wisdom is also as old as the ages; there is no "new" wisdom, only our understanding and applicable knowledge of it.

Pamela Cone said...

Please allow me to elaborate a little further. From every test or trial there I believe is something to be gained. From these I believe we do gain wisdom.

I do know the Word says we can ask for wisdom if we are lacking. It is a precious gift from God.

Even through trials we see His love, who He loves he chastises.

I do have some bumps I have gained along the way, from my own choices, and from those I believe I have gained wisdom.

I was blessed by your post today. It was not my intention to appear otherwise.

Judith Ellis said...

Oh, Pam, your comment was not taken dispargingly in the very least. Please know this.

What you will soon come to know should you visit more is that disagreement here is so VERY OK. But I hope that my comment did not appear to disparage yours. This was not my intention in the very least.

"From every test or trial there I believe is something to be gained. From these I believe we do gain wisdom."

Yes, I too believe that from such we can gain wisdom. Thanks for your elaboration--much appreciated.

Many blessings...

aditya said...

I have very different ideas about wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge as it is today, is a compilation of hollow facts.

Wisdom is much more intricate than that. To me wisdom means getting to know of the nature's ways ... To you it can mean something else.

You can read on at
http://dippingbutterflies.blogspot.com/2009/04/wisdom.html

Judith Ellis said...

Aditya - Thanks for your comment.

Regarding the intricacy of wisdom, for me it is the understanding of knowledge and the application of it. Application requires intricacy and intimacy when wisdom is considered. Consider the words of Jesus, who spoke in parables. How intimate and intricate was that?

"To me wisdom means getting to know of the nature's ways."

Hmm? I'd like furtherance on this idea.

"Knowledge as it is today, is a compilation of hollow facts."

This too.

Perhaps I'll find understanding at your blog. I'll pop over. Thanks for popping in. Do come again.

Marion said...

Judith, I share with you a few quotes from my 'favorite quotes' notebook on wisdom:

"The years teach much which the days never knew." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I can look Life in the eyes,
Grown calm and very coldly wise,
Life will have given me the Truth,
And taken in exchange - my youth.
~Sara Teasdale

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk. ~Doug Larson

"There is a wisdom of the head, and... a wisdom of the heart." ~Charles Dickens

And the entire book of Proverbs, of course.

Judith Ellis said...

Thank you so much for that, Marion! I especially love the Larson quote.

Ryan Freed said...

I wonder where this post was inspired from, haha.

Looking at all the comments, there are so many different opinions on this topic. When it comes to wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, who knows if their actually is a right answer or not.

Your comment was responded to on the website. To see Judith's original comment visit http://www.emergingtiro.com/?p=50. We started our "link fest" which posts relative blog links. This is my first time seing this post, I will be sure to add it to our site.

I also sent you an email from a different email address than usual. Wondering if you recieved it?

Ryan Freed said...

http://www.emergingtiro.com/?p=254, added to our first link fest.

Judith Ellis said...

Yes, Ryan, a wonderful post on your blog indeed got me thinking once again about wisdom. In fact, it is never too far. I hold it close.

Pamela Cone said...

"There is a wisdom of the head, and... a wisdom of the heart." ~Charles Dickens

I like this quote.

Thanks for sharing.

Judith Ellis said...

Ryan - I haven't checked that email lately, but I'll do so right now. All of those who read here do check out Ryans's blog. There is usually a good word there.

Judith Ellis said...

What do you think it means, Pamela? I've been pondering it. There is no heart and head distinction applicable to my understanding. Often times what we considered head knowledge is applied to the heart and vice verse where wisdom is concerned. Consider King Solomon. Better yet, consider, Christ. I, in fact, loved the way He used seemingly odd examples to make very truthful spiritual points which were (and remains) applicable to many situations of both the head and heart. I'd love to hear your reading of the quote.

Opaque said...

Well-said! Wisdom is the wisely applied knowledge in specific situations.

Judith Ellis said...

Thanks, Ajey. Some might conclude that your response would be exactly in reverse.

Pamela Cone said...

My first impression was there is a reasoning of the mind. Wisdom gained from knowledge--mostly factual--black and white issues--no gray--no room for error. Then there is wisdom of the heart which does not necessary apply to the laws as we know them.

Christ was rebuked by the Scribes for healing on the sabbath--wisdom of the heart.

Christ was criticized for the "sinner" women who came and worshipped at his feet. He forgive them of their sins and set them free--he didn't condemn them--wisdom of the heart. He knew they were sinners. He knew the woman at the well was a sinner woman, but he forgave her of her sins. The woman caught in the bed of adultry.

Looking beyond what we see is wisdom of the heart.

David asked for grace beyond the law because there were no provisions under the law for him only death. But he asked God for his grace. Why did God forgive him? He said David was a man after his own heart. He captured the heart of God. Wow, who wouldn't want to do that!

God told Moses I will have mercy upon who I will have mercy--beyond the law--past the wisdom of the head. He choose Moses after he killed and buried the man in the sand.

I believe wisdom from the heart comes from God. Wisdom of the mind? Well it could come from what we can only see/understand with our natural eyes.

Judith Ellis said...

Thank you, Pamela. I understand your points. I highly doubt it if Dickens was on the same tip, though. :-)