Actually, I would say wisdom is knowing: when to be selfish and when to be selfless, when to follow the rules and when to break them, when to turn the other cheek and when to strike down your enemy (which need not be a person), when to look to the future and when to enjoy the moment, bestowing importance where it is due and revoking such categorization if it proves undue, and most importantly...knowing that what you think you know could be wrong.

I never trust anyone who thinks they can't be wrong.

No. It is never right to be selfish. God will provide a way for those who give. What goes around comes around.

It is also wrong to not believe that one cannot be wrong, but it is a matter of pride, not wisdom.

IN other words, everything not taught in books.

I agree. Very good.

Not everything not taught in books. Some books teach wisdom. It is merely good ideas that are not intelligence, to simpllify it into English.

Not taking time for oneself can put undue stress on a person, clouding their judgment. People are a lot like animals, we only put in effort if there is a payoff. For some, that payoff may be just being able to feel good about themselves for doing the right thing. For others it may be money or rest (aren't we all hoping we are working toward retirement). Some even think it will get them into heaven or keep them from hell, though they would never admit that as motivation, not even to themselves.


I'd say it is more a matter of false or undue pride to be exact, but that is from a person who doesn't necessarily think pride is bad if it is deserved. Since I also think wisdom entails knowing when to be proud, false pride is a consequence of bad wisdom in my definition. It is funny how many people believe that they have the infallible ability necessary to judge something else infallible.


Some books may help with wisdom (I am thinking philosophy books), but most non-fiction just impart knowledge.

Wisdom is experience.

Wisdom is...very hard to define.

It's the ability to understand and act on that understanding in a variety of situations.  Experience, intelligence, foresight, cleverness...many things make you wise...but the real test of wisdom is how you go about using it.

It's a real abstract concept to pin down in a few words...but if I had to come up with something, I'd say it's thinking things through.  That's probably the closest I can come to outright defining it.

~Zoo

Eh, I've seen experienced people that only think they are wise, and inexperienced people with wisdom. Wise are the ones who learn from experience, wiser are those who don't need to learn from bad ones. Of course, it is probably unwise of me to presume I know what makes an experience a "bad one".

Excellent point! Wisdom is having learned from experiences.

Wisdom doesn't require experience, necessarily. Anyone read proverbs? (Not the Biblical book, just any from any culture)

Ah, also true. It is possible to learn from the experiences of others.

Yes, but proverbs do not require experience.

Someone must have experience in order to write one.

ZOO POSTS:



Wisdom is a nutshell is knowledge and fear of God. The Book of Wisdom speaks of the excellence of wisdom, the means to obtain it, (which isn't what most would think), and the happy fruits it produces.

Wisdom proceeds only from God and is procured only by a good life and prayer. Those who seek God sincerely will obtain wisdom. In Scripture all superiors are admonished to love and exercise justice and wisdom and it is in this context in which we read about wisdom. Wisdom is always referred to in Scripture in the feminine.

Here are a few interesting passages.

Love justice, you that are the judges of the earth. Think of the Lord in goodness, and seek Him in simplicity of heart.

For He is found by them that tempt Him not; and He showeth Himself to them that have faith in Him.

For perverse thoughts separate from God; and His power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise.

For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins.

For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and will withdraw Himself from thoughts that are without understanding, and He shall not abide when iniquity cometh in.

For the spirit of wisdom is benevolent, and will not acquit the evil speaker from his lips: for God is witness of his reins and He is a true searcher of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.

I called upon God and the spirit of wisdom came upon me; and I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone; for all gold in comparison of here is as a little sand, and silver in respect of her shall be counted as clay. I loved her above health and beauty....

Now all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands...and I knew not that she was the mother of them all...She is an infinite treasure to men, which they that use, become the friends of God, being commended for the gift of discipline. Wisdom 7:7-14.

This wisdom is an abiding illumination of the Holy Spirit enabling the soul to experience much more than merely natural or ordinary spritual delight in His contemplation of God. In one word, wisdom is knowledge of God Himself which gives us a delicious taste of the sweetness of God.

Through this gift of wisdom the HOly SPirit enables us to find habitual spiritual joy in persons and things and in conditions and happenings, according to their value for tha attainment of their highest purpose in the designs of our Infinitely loving Father in Heaven. Dan.3:52-90; Ps. 33; 99; 85; 102-03; Wisdom 7: 8-12.

From Ecclesiasticus:

All wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath always been with Him and is before all time.

The word of God from on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are everlasting commandments.

v. 16, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and was created with the faithful in the womb, it walketh with chosen women, and is known with the just and faithful.

v.24, Wisdom shall distribute knowledge and understanding of prudence and exalteth the glory of them that hold her.

The root of wisdom is to fear (means love) the Lord and the branches thereof are long-lived.

In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and relligiousness of knowledge; but to sinners wisdom is an abomination.

The fear of the Lord driveth out sin. For he that is without fear, cannot be justified, for the wrath of his high spirits is his ruin.

In the treasures of wisdom is the signification of discipline. But the worship of GOd is an abomination to the sinner. Son, if thou desire wisdom, keep justice and God will give her to thee. For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline; and that which is agreeable to him.

In faith and meekness, and He will fill up thy treasures. Be not incredulous to the fear of the Lord and come not to Him with a double heart. Watch over them, lest thou fall, and bring dishonor upon thy soul.

Believe God and He will recover thee; and direct thy way, and trust in Him. Keep His fear, and grow old therein.

Ye that fear the Lord wait for His mercy and go not aside from Him, lest ye fall.

Ye that fear the Lord, believe Him and your reward shall not be made void. Ye that fear the Lord, hope in Him and mercy shall come to you for your delight. Ye that fear the Lord love Him, and your heart will be enlightened.

My children behold the generations of men and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord and hath been confounded.

For who has continued in His commandment and hath been forsaken? or who hath calle dupon Him and He despised him?

For God is compassionate and merciful and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation; and He is a protector to all that seek Him in truth.

Wisdom is not a well defined concept, and so is generally decided by a post-hoc decisions calling a range of actions 'wise' and then saying thats what wisdom is. However as it lacks a strict definition what actions you define as wise can easily be argued to be unwise by others, as they're applying a different definition of wisdom, and neither of them are wrong as there is no firm consesus on what wisdom is.

Edit: Wow, didn't realise this topic was so old; figured it was on the front page so still recent. Apologies for zombiefying it.