How to Be Wise

HOW TO BE WISE

Nobody wants to be thought a fool, but sometimes a person's actions label him that way. A wise person thinks before he acts, but wise actions are motivated by wise words.

I never expected to find words of wisdom on the walls of a pizza place, but there they were. My husband and I had stopped for the night at Wheeler Ridge, California. In the mood for pizza, we walked into Pieology.

We placed our order and sat down to wait. I enjoyed reading quotes off their wall decor and made notes of a few I wanted to remember. For example:

(1) C.S. Lewis, famous author of Mere Christianity, was credited with saying, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." That was encouraging.

(2) Malcom Forbes, considered wise in the business world, said, "Failure is success if we learn from it." That reminded me of telling my piano students, "Unless you know you've made a mistake, you can't improve."

(3) Henry J. Kaiser said, "Problems are only opportunities in work clothes." He ought to know. He founded over one hundred companies in his lifetime, including Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel.

How Wise Are You?

You've probably heard someone say, "A word to the wise is sufficient." That's true for those who want to be wise and know they have more to learn. 

Wisdom is not just acquiring knowledge. Wisdom is using what you know to make good decisions. Henry Ford, father of the automobile industry, provides a good example.

He said, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants as long as it is black." Why? Early finishing techniques were a carryover from the carriage industry. Paint needed curing times of up to four weeks.

Ford changed to a faster-drying product available only in black. Why? To avoid warehousing cars just to let the paint dry. He filtered through knowledge to find what best applied to his need.

Sometimes We Need Help

I try to do that, too, but I don't always know what to do. Proverbs 13:10 says, "Wisdom is found in those who take advice." It's OK to ask for help, but be selective. 

Once in a while, I've asked someone for help only to have them respond in a disinterested or condescending manner.


That's why I love the promise in James 1:5 (NIV). It says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given you."

Do you want to know how to be wise? Learn what you can, then go right to the top and ask for wisdom on how to apply what you've learned.

After all, you have an open invitation. And who could be wiser than God?