Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Are You Listening for Wisdom?
Have you ever met a dumb, smart person? Maybe a person who had a broad intellect, knew all kinds of facts, but didn’t know how to come in out of the rain. How could someone so smart be so dumb? Well, it’s important to recognize the difference between intellect and wisdom, between knowledge and knowing how to use it.
Knowledge is stored up by those who have a head for it, but wisdom is given to those with a heart for it. Intellect describes how much I have a capacity to know, but wisdom is the skill for living life. It is a skill for using whatever knowledge I have to the best effect. I would far rather have the skill to use the knowledge I have than to have a lot of knowledge I don’t know how to use.
How do I go from merely knowing something to having wisdom for life? Proverbs 2 addresses us as a father would a son. It says, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice from understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
Proverbs 2 is talking about a person’s attitude, their desire for or lack of desire for wisdom that comes only from the knowledge of God. Notice the action words like “receive,” “hide,” “incline,” “apply,” “cry after,” “lift up,” “seek,” and “search.” These words describe the attitude of a person who has wisdom.
The reason so many smart people are in the dark is because they know pretty much what they want to know. Sometimes we try to convince people intellectually when the problem is a heart and attitude matter. Wisdom is a heart matter. God gives wisdom to those willing to listen. I may show my knowledge by what I say, but I show my wisdom by how I listen.