Genuine wisdom

Sociologist E.O. Wilson penned this epigram to describe the dilemma of our day, “We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom.” For him, and for James in this week’s Epistle reading, knowledge is not equal to wisdom, but only a part of it. Wisdom involves knowledge, but it is much more than that.

So, what is genuine wisdom, and why is it so important? What are its attributes and what are its fruits? What does wisdom actually do?

These are good questions to ask in a culture where so many put a premium on knowledge but seem to ignore, or even disdain, wisdom. Yet, in reading books or watching movies, our hearts, without even trying, are naturally inclined to the Gandalfs and the Dumbledores—not just because they’re smart and powerful, but because they take knowledge and power and put it to great use with wisdom.