Ancient Wisdom, Contemporary Power!
Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 08:00AM 
Ancient wisdom is often forgotten wisdom. It is for this very reason that we continue to make the same mistakes and repeat past errors that wreck our lives. We can see clearly from the lives of people around us or by simply looking in the mirror why it is smart to look to the past for wisdom for our present.
Since the first word was committed to ink in the first mechanically published volume by Johannes Gutenberg generations have sought power for each succeeding one through literacy. Why is this true? It is true because, if you can read and understand what you have read, then you can glean and benefit from the knowledge and experiences of the past. No longer does each person have to invest the personal time and pain necessary to acquire wisdom.
Reading the experiences and conclusions drawn from other people’s pain and growth can become the vicarious source of our progress and prosperity. There is an African proverb which says,
“It is a mystery, why the child must bump their own head.”
Each succeeding generation bumps their head on the same low hanging beams of life. The bumps are not necessary, because there are signs, maps and markers warning each generation to duck, detour and dodge the source of our bumps and bruises.
This series is dedicated to offering wisdom that empowers you and your progeny to save yourself some of the bumps and bruises of life. The source of the wisdom is the Biblical Proverbs found in the book titled the same. The hope is that you will benefit from the ancient wisdom and prosper from past generation’s painful life lessons without the pain.
An eagerness to grow that is supported by a willingness to learn is the first quality of a wise person. Proverbs 18:15 records,
“Intelligent people are always ready to learn, their ears are open for knowledge.”
An earlier version of the New Living Translation interpreted the second portion of this passage in this way, “In fact they seek it out.”
The Bible tells us that intelligence or wisdom comes as the result of learning and that learning is connected to hearing knowledge. The Bible asserts in this small passage of scripture that a person who is not ready to learn and who is not looking for or open to knowledge is not intelligent. The New International Version (NIV) uses the word, “Discerning” in place of “intelligent people” suggesting that the chief skill is the ability to decide between options when presented with multiple choices.
The NIV suggests that the person who does not seek knowledge and who is unready to learn when presented with new knowledge is also unable to discern between options when they are presented. A person who is unable to discern may be easily tricked by people who take advantage of their lack of discernment.
Typically we are not confronted with one clearly good and one clearly bad option. Many times we have to discern between the good, the better and the best options. When presented with no clearly bad options it is difficult to decide which option to exercise. The only remedy for poor discernment is the solution prescribed in Proverbs 18:15;
Prepare to learn and seek knowledge that empowers you to become more intelligent. According to the Chambers Dictionary, intelligence is:
“The ability to use memory, knowledge, experience, understanding, reasoning, imagination and judgment in order to solve problems and adapt to new situations.”
Ultimately, intelligence is about solving problems as we encounter them. If we don’t acquire enough knowledge that empowers us to solve problems, then we become dependent upon others to solve our problems for us. Rest assured that we will never be pleased with the solutions others create for us. Ignorance makes you a victim, knowledge empowers you to prosper. You choose!
