Over the past two years, I’ve watched the talking heads on television and the internet rattle on about the COVID-19 issue ad nauseam. Most of what they’ve said can be dropped into the categories of fact and opinion.
So, with two years of facts and opinions on every channel and every website known to man, why hasn’t society at large come to a reasonable, balanced approach to the COVID issue?
Facts and opinions just aren’t sufficient.
Without wisdom, facts and opinions are as pointless as helium balloons floating up into the sky at a kid’s birthday party.
People today tend to use the “facts” that back up their own opinions and ignore any dissenting data sets. This, of course, has led to our highly divided factions and hotly contested positions within the country.
So what’s missing?
Wisdom.
In his first-century writings, “Letters from a Stoic,” Lucius Seneca says, “It is clear to you, I am sure Lucilius, that no man can live a happy life, or even a supportable life, without the study of wisdom.”
“So,” you ask, “What’s the difference between wisdom and facts or knowledge?”
Knowledge is the accumulation of facts.
Wisdom is the proper application – or use – of those facts.
For example, an individual may work in a field where they learn to use explosives. They have knowledge – the facts.
Now, comes the question of whether they have the wisdom to use that knowledge appropriately or not. They can either use what they know about explosives to help cut a road through solid rock or blow a bank vault.
It’s the same knowledge – same facts – but how those facts are used reveals the wisdom that has, or has not, been engaged.
Solomon, King of Israel 970-931 BC, wrote: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
Here’s the problem.
People just ASSUME that they are wise.
It’s nothing but pride.
If you ASSUME that you are wise without having studied wisdom, you’re only fooling yourself. You’ve been deluded by your own pride and the self-conceit of your opinions.
Wisdom is a lifelong study and must be a PURPOSEFUL study.
Today, we have a society full of parrots. They repeat whatever they hear that they think sounds intelligent or whatever point of view reinforces their own personal agenda.
Wisdom gives us the framework to sift through information and other’s opinions in a balanced way and allows us to come to more considered conclusions.
That leads us to the question of how to gain wisdom.
The first thing that a student of wisdom has to determine is what or who is the ultimate source of wisdom. For me, our Creator is the source of all wisdom and all truth can be traced back to Him. Without an ultimate reference point for wisdom, your quest is rudderless and you get blown around by the loudest voices or the prevalent theories in society.
Once an individual has determined their north star in their search for wisdom, they have to determine to make themselves a student. Yes, I understand that for most of us school and study were a chore. However, without study, we are as ignorant of how to utilize knowledge as the next guy.
The study of wisdom puts us in the position to leverage knowledge in ways that others have not considered.
Archimedes, the ancient Greek mathematician and inventor said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”
What has become apparent through this pandemic is that neither facts nor opinions will “move the world.”
By becoming students of wisdom, we place ourselves in line with prophets, thinkers, philosophers, and theologians that have come before us. By studying their works (making use of what aligns with what we know of our Creator and discarding what does not), we put ourselves ahead of the rabble that simply re-hashes the news broadcasts, tweets, and Facebook posts of yesterday as the “truth” and dogma of today.
Until next time, seek wisdom.
Have a happy day.