Proverbs 1:2-7 [NLT] – Their purpose [Proverbs] is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Just like our planet orbits around the sun, every family system has a center that determines what is priority for the family. If the center is school, then the priority becomes grades. If the center is sports, then the priority becomes winning at all costs. If the center is making money, then working becomes the priority. If the center is fear, then control is the priority. If comfort is the center, then being left alone is the priority.
For the believing family, the center should be God, and the priority of the family should be to see each family member grow in wisdom. No matter how a child is educated, they should be homeschooled – learning wisdom at home.
Our culture values knowledge, whereas the Bible sees knowledge as the means to wisdom which is the higher priority. Here are some distinctions between knowledge and wisdom:
- Knowledge is knowing the truth; wisdom is knowing that to do with it.
- Knowledge it theoretical; wisdom is practical.
- Knowledge fills your mind; wisdom guides your life.
- Knowledge is truthful; wisdom is useful.
- Knowledge provides information; wisdom provides transformation.
- Knowledge tells you what to believe; wisdom tells you how to behave.
In summary, you can have knowledge without wisdom, but you cannot have wisdom without knowledge. Knowledge will get you good grades, but wisdom will get you a good life. So, where do you find wisdom? Here are some areas where you can find wisdom:
- Scripture
- Prayer
- The Holy Spirit
- General revelation
- Wise counsel
- Your experience
- Their experience (or what a friend calls “letting other people pay your dumb tax so that you learn by learning from their mistakes”)
Where do you go to get wisdom?