Knowledge and Wisdom

Knowledge
I teach many things. I try, in the course of my labors to impart knowledge. Knowledge can be easy to gain; it can also be quite difficult. It depends a great deal on the subject about which one wishes to learn and also, to a lesser degree, on one’s mental abilities. A lot comes down to a student’s motivation.

The internet is a wonderful resource if used correctly. You can learn a good bit about many subjects merely by logging on and surfing the correct sites. That’s one way to gain knowledge. You can read, you can watch and you can listen – all on your computer. Another way is to visit your library. I live so far out in the boonies it’s easier and (considering gas at over $3 a gallon) sometimes not as expensive if, rather than visiting my library, I order a used book from an online resource like Amazon.com. You can also take classes and courses from instructors like me.

Doing the above and applying some self discipline will result in a net gain of knowledge on your part. You will get smarter about stuff.

There are lots of folks out there who “know a lot of stuff” but don’t have a lick of common sense. They “know stuff” but they have never attempted to apply that knowledge. They don’t realize there is a lot about that subject that they do not know. They don’t know what they don’t know. They lack wisdom.

What is wisdom?
I got to thinking about this question in Sunday school this morning where we discussed knowledge and wisdom. That was what actually got today’s blog entry going.
In Proverbs 9:10 we read: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Compare that with Colossians 2:3 where we read (speaking of God, the Father, and Christ) In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There is a lot of meat in those two verses for the spiritual carnivores out there. Chew on it for awhile.

Looking at it from a more secular perspective ( I would have used “spiritual vegetarians” but thought it might offend ) we could say that wisdom is knowledge combined with experience. Wisdom then is greater than knowledge. Wisdom contains as one of its vital elements, knowledge. The other of course, is time. Time spent applying the knowledge.

Experience
Some methods of learning, some methods of instruction include experience. While merely reading an article does not, conducting repetitions of a martial arts move would provide some of this experience. Almost no instruction out there contains enough experience in and of itself. The student has to go forth and apply the knowledge in a variety of ways under a variety of conditions to truly gain wisdom in that aspect.

I could use as an example a “black belt” in a given martial art. I would be referring to the real black belts of yore – not the current graduates of modern day belt factories. Earning a black belt back then was just the beginning. That is when the real learning started. I could use that example but that would be a blog entry in itself – take what you can use and discard the rest.

Application
What does this lead us to? Doing stuff. Go do stuff! (Where have we heard that before?)
Increase your knowledge.
Put your new-found knowledge to work.
Gain experience.
Be brave – you may stumble, you may (initially) fail – get back up, bounce back and apply yourself.
You will then start to gain wisdom.

I started out writing that I teach many things. I teach parents how to keep an eye on their kids in the outdoors and I teach kids what to do if they get lost; I teach law enforcement and military men and women how to prevail in dangerous situations; I teach men, women and children how to defend themselves, I teach all manner of survival courses. But the most important survival course I teach is on Sunday mornings and it deals with eternal survival.

Hey, surviving the various monkey wrenches thrown at us today is important – teaching folks how to do so keeps food on my table. But what comes next is a whole lot more important in the big scheme of things.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? - Mark 8:36

Not what you expected today, huh? Well, it is what it is. I’d like to leave with you three verses:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. - John 14:6

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. - Romans 10:9

Now that’s survival.

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If you have any comments I’d love to hear them. If they really interest me, I may even post them. You can reach me at vikingservices@hotmail.com

Prepared Americans for a Strong America