Treasures of Wisdom

Photo by John-Mark Smith

My goal 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. Colossians 2:2-3

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” I am not sure many students would agree with Albert Einstein’s quote while sitting in a physics class as the teacher tried to explain his revolutionary Theory of Relativity!

The story goes that someone once asked the Nobel Prize laureate who was the smartest person in his opinion. Without hesitation, Einstein replied, “My chauffeur.” One day, they were on their way to a conference, and Einstein said he was very tired. At that moment, the driver offered to give the talk since he knew it by heart from seeing it so many times. So, they exchanged clothes, and the chauffeur went up on stage. In a time without social media, people had heard of Einstein but hadn’t necessarily seen him. The driver delivered his talk perfectly, but during the question-and-answer session, a journalist posed a complex question about the theory of relativity. With great calm and cleverness, Einstein’s chauffeur in his role replied, “This question is so basic that even my chauffeur sitting there in the front row could answer it. Could you please come up and answer it?” Einstein, in his role as the chauffeur, stood up, brilliantly answered the question. After that, no one else wanted to ask anything.

There are lots of versions of this same folklore illustration, mixing myth with a grain of truth. An amusing version is one that the late Jerry Clower did years ago. I am not sure who took the illustration and applied it to Einstein, but it illustrates well the difference between information and wisdom.

Smart is being able to give answers that the brain needs, but wisdom is being able to give answers that the soul needs. The Bible describes two types of wisdom: worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom gives you the right answer. However, it can cultivate envy and put selfish ambition above others. James writes,” Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” (James 3:15)

There is no question that we need the right answers, but answers given for the right reasons. Godly wisdom seeks to enhance others and places God in the forefront. “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.” (James 3:17)

The Bible is filled with the stories of men and women who made a difference because of godly wisdom. Solomon normally pops into most people’s minds when they think of wisdom. The two key components that highlighted Solomon’s wisdom were that he asked for it, and God freely answered his request. (I Kings 3) Solomon knew that he had big shoes to fill following in the steps of his father, David. It would take extraordinary leadership to keep the kingdom together and daily lead the nation. You may not possess Solomon’s wisdom, but you have the same ability to receive. James reminds us that “if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

There is not a specific day on the calendar that celebrates wisdom, but one that should come close was celebrated yesterday in the United States. It is more commonly known as Grandparents’ Day. I used the word, ‘should’ since grandparents were given an important task by God to tell the next generations. David wrote in the Psalms, “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:3-4)

There is one thing in common among grandparents, besides having grandchildren, and that is that they have lived a lot of years. In those years, you have experienced a lot of life lessons, some from good experiences and others not so good. Yet in all those lifetimes of stories comes knowledge, and, when mixed with godly wisdom, a new generation can grow stronger and deeper in their faith.

“Telling stories to my children that I was, in my turn, told by my parents and grandparents makes me feel part of something special and odd, part of the continuous stream of life itself.” Neil Gaiman

The responsibility of telling stories, especially those of God’s faithfulness throughout your life, will be the faith seeds planted that you may not get to witness with your own eyes, but will bear fruit for generations to come. “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (Deuteronomy 4:9)

Gray hair and years of life do not guarantee wisdom. However, if one has sought wisdom and lived “in the way of righteousness,” then the impact upon one’s children’s children is exponential. “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” (Prov 16:31).

We live in an age when data equivalent to a quarter-million Libraries of Congress are created every day. Massive data centers are being built around the world, consuming an ever-larger portion of natural resources simply to provide storage for more and more information. Yet on the same day, thousands of years of wisdom and knowledge are lost as those of a previous generation die. Jandy Nelson writes, “Each time someone dies, a library burns.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will provide us with a wealth of information; you simply ask, and you will have an abundance of facts and figures. You need to get your info, but never forget to always diligently seek the real treasure. “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14)

God is great!