The Volume of Wisdom

HIGHLIGHT: Ecclesiastes 9:17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war but one sinner destroys much good.

EXPLAIN: There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is knowing about something: forks have metal in them, microwaves have radioactive waves that heat things up. Wisdom is knowing not to put the fork in the microwave and turn it on.

The teacher describes that there are different kinds of people in this world: the wise and the foolish. This is not so much about whether one is quiet and one is loud. You can have loud leaders who are being wise. You might have some fools that who sit back in the corner. The key, the teacher would say, is not to presume that the loud one is the right one. Just because the squeaky wheel is squeaking doesn't mean there is something more important to take care of in the moment.

The teacher goes on to reinforce this mentality by saying wisdom is better than weapons of war. Wisdom can be loud or quiet. The key is found in the wisdom that is being given. War is more about intimidation, where wisdom is about guidance. A sinner (read someone that breaks relationships) will destroy much of what could be good because they will be focused on their own good rather than the good of others.

APPLY:There are so many decisions that we can make in a certain day. The wise and foolish would seem to have easy definitions, however, it is paramount to understand what these things mean. A wise person is someone who makes decisions in the here and now with an understanding of how that decisions will affect the there and later. A foolish person does the opposite, however, by making decisions in the here and now with no regard to the effects on the there and later.

When we learn to listen to someone who is helping us to see beyond the feelings of the moment, they are giving us a picture with a broader perspective that can help us be wise in our decision making. The hard part is not listening to wisdom, rather, it is in discerning where wisdom is found.

In this teaching, the suggestion is that those that are foolish are loud and demanding attention. Possibly even demanding a decision as soon as possible. On the contrary, in this example, the wise voice is quiet and less assuming but ultimately more powerful due to its perspective.

In my own life, I am always searching for people with wisdom that can help me become wise. My wife and I have also tried to help my children learn to do the same thing. A couple of ways that has worked for us: 1) When wisdom is not asked for plan to give more time for the person to decide a course of action. When people start pushing me, or I began to start pushing people, then I begin to have red flags pop up. 2) When wisdom is asked for then it is given freely with no push for the wisdom path suggested. Not every decision is a five alarm fire, and so we have to know it is okay to take time, and there may be differing paths.

One last word about wisdom. I have found that the wisdom I may have for someone, in an attempt to give them the broader and better view, is listened and received better when it is asked for. This means I try and keep my mouth shut so that when I do talk there is substance behind my words.

RESPONSE: Jesus, help me desire wisdom from your heart. Help me to hear it from your word and from your people, and may it I learn to follow you completely as you lead me.