We are going to get caught up a bit by doing two chapters in one week. Chapter 7 is about how we learn and about the need for wisdom. When I was a Regent College this summer my professor (Susan Phillips) told the class that as we age we lose some of our capacity to remember facts (like names, places, etc...anyone else noticing this?). But in its place comes a greater capacity to integrate the wisdom we have gained in our lives with our actual experience.
Smith writes, "In the end, no one will care how successful you were, or how much you accomplished, or how important you were or what roles you had. All that will matter, the older we get, is whether we are wise women and men...the pursuit of wisdom provides focus and integration to our learning for the wise person is mature in relationships as well as work..." (pg. 138).
Question: How does one embark on a journey to gain wisdom?
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Job 12:12
ReplyDeleteWisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. (NLT)
Job 28:28
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding (NKJV)
Psalm 37:30
The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. (NLT)
Psalm 107:43
Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD. (NIV)
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (NIV)
Proverbs 1:7
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (NLT)
Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. (NIV)
Proverbs 4:6-7
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (NIV)
Proverbs 10:13
Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding. (NKJV)
Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. (NIV)
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (NIV)
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. (NIV)
Proverbs 12:18
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (NIV)
Proverbs 13:1
A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. (NIV)
Proverbs 13:10
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (NIV)
Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. (NIV)
Proverbs 14:6
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. (NIV)
Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. (NIV)
Proverbs 14:33
Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, but what is in the heart of fools is made known. (NKJV)
Proverbs 15:24
The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave. (NIV)
Proverbs 15:31
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. (NIV)
Proverbs 16:16
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! (NIV)
Proverbs 17:24
A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. (NIV)
Proverbs 18:4
The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. (NIV)
Proverbs 19:11
Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. (NLT)
Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. (NIV)
Proverbs 20:1
ReplyDeleteWine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. (NIV)
Proverbs 24:14
Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (NIV)
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. (NIV)
Proverbs 29:15
To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. (NLT)
Ecclesiastes 2:13
I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness." (NLT)
Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. (NIV)
Ecclesiastes 7:12
For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it. (NKJV)
Ecclesiastes 8:1
Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance. (NIV)
Ecclesiastes 10:2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. (NASB)
1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (NIV)
Colossians 2:2-3
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (NIV)
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (NIV)
James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (NIV)
I just happened to have this reference for prayer and meditation on growing wisdom handy. I thought I would share it.
ReplyDeleteQuilly,
ReplyDeleteCan you put this wonderful list into a PDF and send it to our group? Or make it a download from this site? is that possible? I loved reading it.
Becce
"If we are learners, we are less intimidated by changes in the home in the workplace and in our social environment. And if we are confident that we know how to learn, then we are more likely to have the necessary courage to tackle things we have never done before. When we are learners, we grow in our capacity to live in authentic relationships with our family and friends, with fellow members of our church and with our coworkers."
ReplyDeleteOK...this is totally where I am right now. I love to learn. I could easily be an academian (not really a word) for the rest of my life. Picture Cathy Cole sitting in a small college desk at 70. That's me. This quote gives me the encouragement that life is my classroom and I can take away from it knowledge and wisdom to apply, or simply experience it and react emotionally (I'm a very emotional person...that's not bad. However, my emotions steer me at times in places that can be dark and depressing). I have a choice to react emotionally to changes that I don't particularly like or I can learn from them, soaking in the wisdom from the experience and using it for future changes. This can't be done without the Word, however. My guide to wisdom can be the next self-help book if I let it. However, the wisdom of the world changes almost daily. Since I am a social learner, I can be vulnerable to the advice and wisdom of others. As I become more mature in my relationship with Christ, however, I will be less likely to take to heart (too much to heart) the opinion of others. I will be more inclined to listen, compare their wisdom to what I have learned from The Truth and assimilate what is filtered out into my own wisdom. What freedom!