Wisdom

I had two conversations today that reminded me that one can have all the knowledge in the world, but without wisdom one will still be as dumb as a bag of rocks.

With wisdom we know when to speak and when to shut up. We know how to hear beyond the words being spoken or see beyond the words written on the page. We know when to persevere and when to retreat and which battles are actually worth fighting.

A wise person knows she doesn’t know everything. She doesn’t have to get the last word in every discussion in a mad grab to look like the smartest in the room.

I spend a lot of time thinking about wisdom, because wisdom is impressive. Being smart is good and having knowledge is cool. But wisdom is even more important than these two, in my opinion. When I meet a wise person, I like to listen up, because true wisdom is rare, in my experience.

I’ve never met a wise person who wasn’t kind, and that intrigues me. I’ve met many smart, even knowledgeable, people who were miserable to be around. Some were puffed up and self-centered and even mean. Others were fearful and cowardly and thoughtless. All had in common a marked lack of wisdom.

I had a wise mother. She was human and had failings and sometimes her failings obscured her wisdom, but it was there all the same.

Since her passing the Lord has put several wise women in my path, and I’m grateful. I covet wisdom. The bible says, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5).

So, I regularly pray for wisdom, because every child needs a wise mother, every husband needs a wise wife, and every woman deserves a wise friend.

What about you? What personal trait do you covet?