Wisdom: What Does It Have To Do With Us?

• Street smarts. 
• Savvy.
• Smart.
• "Knows her way around."
• Has learned from experience.

The Wisdom Literature in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, or the sacred writings of the Hebrew faith, gives a great deal of prominence to "wisdom".  In one place wisdom is said to have either been part of creation, been a witness to creation, or been on a par with the spirit in achieving creation.

But it is 2013.  What does wisdom have to do you you and me?  The word sounds solid, ancient, and somewhat sleep-producing.  I have never heard of someone "getting ahead" or being promoted because of her or his wisdom.  Have you?  Bill Gates didn't get rich by being wise, did he?  Warren Buffet might actually be wise, but I have never heard that he made his money by way of wisdom.  If a president has been dead long enough he may be called "wise", but examination of writings during his presidency suggest scheming, glad-handing, and scheming probably made it possible for him to achieve what he achieved.  The recent film, "Linoln" comes to mind when I think of the reality of politics.

What is wisdom?  The list opening this article might suggest a few contemporary ways to describe a wise person.  Was Eric Hoffer, the longshoreman philosopher wise?  He once suggested that the nations of the world should agree that they would never, never start a war until the leaders of each country planning the war personally chose and killed 50 children from the "enemy" country.  Was that wisdom?

What do you think?  What part does wisdom play in your life?  What place does it have in the 21st century?  What does Wisdom have to do with us?

Leave a comment and let us know.