Gifts for Today

You don't get wisdom out of a textbook.  You don't get knowledge enough to make you wise.  You don't receive understanding from simply hearing others.  Experience is one of the most valuable tools in acquiring wisdom. 

You can hear lectures on swimming.  You can read books on swimming.  You can understand the buoyancy of water from observation, but until you jump in the water and get some experience, you won't have true wisdom about the water and that may make all the difference between swimming and drowning.

Experience is the best teacher. Wisdom begins and ends with the fear of the Lord.  It isn't a fear of being struck by lightning or struck dead but it's a deep,abiding, holy reverence and respect for the Lord and for His Word. In Proverbs 9:10 Solomon said "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight".  James saw the value of wisdom and explained this when he wrote "If any of  you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him". (James 1:5}