Biblical Wisdom refers to the principled pursuit of pleasure, not to fill a void, but to fulfill a calling. Wisdom requires fearing (seeking the approval of) God more than fearing (seeking the approval of) man. The restraint of wisdom does not diminish the intensity of pleasure, but prolongs the time frame in which pleasure can be savored and the freedom of conscience with which pleasure can be remembered.
Wisdom cannot be reduced to a set of principles or propositions because it is an expression of God’s character in the midst of relationships. Wisdom is a virtue that allows all other blessings to remain good rather than spoiling into burdens.
Wisdom does not belong to academia and does not require a high IQ. Brilliance is, in many ways, capable of more folly than ignorance. Wisdom, in its essence, is simple. It is often because solutions are less complex than our problems that we dismiss wisdom. No one wants to hear that finances boil down to spending less than you make or dieting is only burning more calories than you consume. But we’re glad to get into a complex pyramid scheme or fad diet.
Wisdom requires things like patience, self-control, listening well, and contentment. The absence of these virtues will destroy whatever can be created or obtained through the strategic implementation of massive quantities of knowledge. Wisdom is not against action, passion, speaking, and ambition. But wisdom is willing to forego these without feeling cheated and does not consider them “higher virtues” than their alternatives.
“There are three classes of men—lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, lovers of gain.” – Plato
Wisdom allows the “risks” we take in confidence to fulfill our purpose to be “acts of faith” instead of blind folly. Wisdom allows us to adapt to the preferences and culture of others without surrendering our identity. Wisdom allows our sense of security to withstand the criticism or misunderstanding of others without us giving way to being calloused or closed-minded.
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