Knowledge. Wisdom. Experience

Knowledge without wisdom can lead to disaster. Fools think they know it all, but the wise realize how much they don't know.

Wisdom is the application of knowledge. It is using knowledge in the most effective way. Knowledge can be obtained in a relatively short period of time. Acquiring wisdom, on the other hand, can take many years. It is gained by observing life and learning from the failures and successes of yourself and others. It is also obtained by following the instructions of teachers and mentors.

Solomon gave advice on acquiring wisdom. Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let those who discern get guidance. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. We gain knowledge and wisdom by listening to instruction and miss out if we refuse it. It is human nature to resist when someone tells us what to do. Our independence tends to reject advice from others, thinking that we know better. While it is good to act on our own initiate, it is not practical to learn everything on our own. We need to learn from every source available. Those who refuse advice from others will find the going to be extremely difficult. We of course must filter advice and discard what is not applicable.

Most of the information that we study on our own, deals with how aspects of life work or are supposed to work. They are not always good at describing what to do when they don't work like they should. This is why wisdom is vital. After school is over, education is just beginning. During a job interview we were always told, "You have a piece of paper saying you graduated, but you don't know a thing." On the job, you must learn how to put theory to practical use. This is where mentors can be extremely valuable. Those with the wisdom gained from experience have discovered the best and easiest way to do things. They can show you the ropes and teach you the tricks of the trade. This can serve as a shortcut to gaining wisdom. You will find, however, that some of their ways won't be efficient for you. You must discover what works for you by trying different methods.

Those that know how, will always have a job and those that know why, will be their boss.

Lynn Bradley