Making the most of Wisdom

Solomon’s Wisdom Part 5

Proverbs 2 6-8

For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

In our last lesson, we learned that we need to ‘turn your ear to wisdom’, ‘apply your heart to understanding’ and then you will ‘understand the fear of the Lord’ and ‘find the knowledge of God’!

This is such a powerful lesson in life!

Simply put – find God and you will find wisdom and understanding.

Everyone is created equal in the eyes of God and regardless if you were born in the barrios on a dump in the Philippians or in Buckingham Palace you are created perfect in God’s eyes. You could have an IQ of 80 or an IQ of 263, we all have a role to play, a life to live, a destiny to fulfill.

Yes, we can all search for wisdom, understanding, and God.

What happens when we do this?

The Lord gives wisdom. The Hebrew word for ‘gives’ is Nathan. Nathan means giver, he was the prophet that was entrusted with the education of Solomon. If you remember, God asked Solomon ‘what gift did he want(?)’ and Solomon replied ‘wisdom’. God will give us wisdom and understanding if we search for Him and listen for wisdom and apply our hearts to understanding.

As a refresher, the Hebrew word ‘chokma’ is the word used for wisdom. According to Bible Study Tools, it’s definition encompasses the following:

“wisdom

1. skill (in war)
2. wisdom (in administration)
3. shrewdness, wisdom
4. wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
5. wisdom (ethical and religious).”

The way I see it, all of these apply to be in business at whatever level of the food chain you are on. More importantly, the higher up the food chain you want to go, the more wisdom you must have.

When you follow wisdom up with ‘da’ath’ (knowledge) and ‘tabuwn’ (understanding) we have almost the complete package. When we dig a little deeper into da’ath we find that this knowledge is not necessarily completely related to the intellect, but rather more geared towards the soul – a conscious knowledge of it. The Greeks termed it gnosis. A way to realize and utilize the doorway to consciousness. For us to receive this knowledge we must actively seek it so that it can build upon itself and grow.

‘Da’ath’s’ teammate ‘tabuwn’ builds on the fact that a person can search for knowledge, but they need to actively use it and understand it. Is Messie2vie.fr we find the meaning of ‘tabuwn’ to be:

understanding, intelligence

the act of understanding

skill

the faculty of understanding

intelligence, understanding, insight

the object of knowledge

teacher (personification)

discretion, reason, skilfulness, understanding, wisdom

Proverbs 2:7 pull it all together for us that when we apply ourselves to seeking sound wisdom and understanding it will be given to us, we will be successful in receiving – ‘tuwshiyah’ (another part of wisdom). Bible Study Tools defines ‘tuwshiyah’ as:

wisdom, sound knowledge, success, sound or efficient wisdom, abiding success

1. sound or efficient wisdom
2. abiding success (of the effect of sound wisdom)

Messie2vie adds to it:

support or (by implication) ability, i.e., (direct) help, (in purpose) an undertaking, (intellectual) understanding

This all ties into the fact that we are trying to gain sound wisdom and sound wisdom is the foundation of security and safety. Various scholars attach these meanings to the word as well, reflection, advancement, promotion, solid fortune and substance.

All the above is predicated on the fact that we walk in integrity – ‘tom’. Which means:

integrity, completeness

1. completeness, fullness
2. innocence, simplicity
3. integrity

In Christianity, God protects those who believe in Him and seek after wisdom! When you think about it, almost everyone likes and rewards wise people. We see it every day, anyone who has higher education, usually gets a higher paying job, are advanced quicker, and get treated better overall.

In my last article I gave you tips and techniques to gain wisdom and understanding, let’s go to the next level.

According to Robert Sternberg:

Wisdom is the use of one’s intelligence and experience as mediated by values toward the achievement of a common good through a balance among (1) intrapersonal, (2) interpersonal, and (3) extra-personal interests, over the (1) short and (2) long terms, to achieve a balance among (1) adaptation to existing environments, (2) shaping of existing environments, and (3) selection of new environments.

How do we gain this next level of wisdom?

1. Ask questions – According to Timothy Scott and William Decker - The wisest people in history are those who ask or postulate intelligent questions, both to themselves and to others. Why are questions important? Questions lead to answers and answers lead to understanding. Then, once you have an understanding, you can act upon it in good judgment.
   1. My pastor, Tom Cowan, taught us that it not only important to ask questions but to always try to think of the better question.
   2. Avoid asking rhetorical questions
   3. Ask friendly, clarifying questions
   4. Ask open-ended questions.
   5. Thank the person for their response
   6. Avoid being too direct
   7. Give the other person time to formulate their answer and don’s speak till they have finished speaking.
2. Have a coach or mentor – we all need coaches and mentors, why reinvent the wheel.
   1. Find some whose career you admire – you will be surprised at what just asking someone to mentor or coach you will bring. Successful people like helping others.
   2. Reach Out to Associations and Organizations You're Involved In – if you are not involved, get involved. There are also plenty of Service Clubs where the true mover and shakers and successful people get together.
3. Do Research and Look at Membership-Based Coaching Groups.
   1. Vet your coaching candidates, make sure they are a good fit.
   2. Make sure their methodology and approach align with you.
   3. Interview them.
   4. Ask for a free consultation.
4. Wise people have a lot of experience ...
   1. Do things
   2. Meet people
   3. Get involved
   4. Travel
   5. Read
   6. Be mindful
   7. Live in the present
   8. Be grateful

1. 5. Be intimately aware of yourself.
   1. Tim Urban wrote; “We don’t have to know more than we know, we only have to be aware of what we know and what we don’t know. Truth is in plain sight, written on the whiteboard — we just have to look at the board and reflect upon it.”
   2. I like what Carl Sagan reasoned; “If we ever reach the point where we think we thoroughly understand who we are and where we came from, we will have failed.”
   3. In Psychology Today it was written that; “Wisdom largely emerges from reflection on past experience. Wise people incorporate past observations and opinions into a more nuanced style of thinking—considering multiple perspectives rather than black and white options. Being open to new ways of thinking, essentially challenging the status quo, can be a hallmark of wisdom and help cultivate it.”

How do we improve our understanding of something?

According to VICTORINO Q. ABRUGAR; understanding is knowledge and wisdom put into action.

1. We develop understanding when we practice what we preach.
2. Try different things or ponder different theories and then observe the results and evaluate the effectiveness.
3. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. If you were receiving the treatment or lecture you were giving, what would you think?
4. Recognize the most important drivers for reaching company objectives and how to focus on those drivers.
5. Understand people’s role in the organization, their impact on the business, and how to make more informed business decisions that will improve bottom-line efficiency and profitability
6. Be more effective as a team member and support team-building among others

 

ABRUGAR, V. Q. (2020, 2 9). Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding, and Insight: What are the Differences? Retrieved from Inspiring Tips: https://inspiringtips.com/knowledge-wisdom-understanding-and-insight-what-are-the-differences/

Cho, W. (2017, 1 `17). What is wisdom and how do we gain it? Retrieved from My student voices: https://mystudentvoices.com/i-want-to-be-wise-75e0786114ce

Chokmah. (2020, 2 2). Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/chokmah.html

Daath, the Doorway to Knowledge. (2008, 11 3). Retrieved from Gnostic Teachings: https://gnosticteachings.org/courses/daath-the-tree-of-knowledge/695-daath-the-doorway-to-knowledge-1.html

How did God respond when Solomon asked for wisdom? (2020, 1 26). Retrieved from Got Questions: https://www.gotquestions.org/Solomon-wisdom.html

How to Gain Deep Understanding. (2019, 7 14). Retrieved from Antidotes for Chimps: https://antidotesforchimps.com/2019/07/14/how-to-gain-deep-understanding/

Lusinski, N. (2018, 3 27). How To Find A Career Coach Or Mentor, According To Experts. Retrieved from Bustle: https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-find-a-career-coach-mentor-according-to-experts-79609

Nathan. (2020, 1 26). Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/nathan/

Pearson, C. (2017, 12 6). 7 Secrets Of Wise People (And How To Become One ... Now). Retrieved from HuffPost: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/wisdom-tips_n_5086606

Proverbs 2:7. (2020, 2 2). Retrieved from Bible Hub: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/2-7.htm

Sternberg, R. (2004). What is Wisdom and How Can We Develop It? The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 164-174.

The Business Acumen Series. (2020, 2 9). Retrieved from https://www.advantageperformance.com/solution/business-acumen-series/: https://www.advantageperformance.com/solution/business-acumen-series/

Tom. (2020, 2 2). Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/tom.html

Tomothy Scott, W. D. (2017, 7 21). Gaining Wisdom. Retrieved from Travel the Road: https://www.traveltheroad.com/blog/2017/9/21/gaining-wisdom

Tuwshiyah. (2020, 2 2). Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/tuwshiyah.html

Tuwshiyah. (2020, 2 2). Retrieved from Messie2vie: https://www.messie2vie.fr/bible/strongs/strong-hebrew-H8454-tuwshiyah.html

Wisdom. (2020, 2 9). Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/wisdom

Zinn, R. (2016, 1 25). How to Ask the Right Question in the Right Way. Retrieved from Entrepreneur: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254264