Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. (Proverbs 4:7-8 NIV)
There is an old story about wisdom that goes something like this: A young entrepreneur interviewed a prosperous older business man and asked him the secret of his success.
“Wisdom,” he said.
“How do I get it?” asked the younger man.
“By making good decisions.”
“And how do I learn to make good decisions?”
“By making bad ones.”
Wisdom, in the biblical sense, is the practical application of knowledge and truth to every day life. It is life-skill, the understanding of the ways knowledge and information can be brought to bear in the solving of life’s challenges, the exploitation of its opportunities and the avoidance of its many pitfalls. One of the greatest sources of it is the Book of Proverbs (found just after the Psalms in your Bible).
But there is another source and that is biography, the stories of the lives of interesting people. Through skillfully written biography we see wisdom and godliness, or the lack thereof, at work in the lives of others. It is a wonderful tool for reflection upon one’s own life, developing a better understanding of others who are different from you, and gaining vicarious experience. We can learn to make good decisions by seeing the results of their bad ones.
Wondering where to start? Here’s a list I’ve benefitted from in the last twelve months or so. West With the Night, by Beryl Markham; John Adams, by David McCullough; Bonheoffer, by Eric Metaxas; Decision Points, by George W. Bush; Courage and Consequence, by Karl Rove; A Journey, by Tony Blair.
So pick up a biography this year and get wisdom. And when you find a good one let me in on it! I look forward to hearing what you’ve learned.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment