Wisdom!

Wisdom!

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:28 KJV

How do you measure wisdom? What is the right definition of wisdom? Let's look at a few samples: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement. OR: the fact of being based on sensible or wise thinking. OR: the body of knowledge and experience that develops within a specified society or period. A few things are clear here: there is an inner quality built up over time, which is then made manifest in outer impact. Wisdom may first be an abstract quality, but its proof must be seen, heard, felt or experienced. When I sit with a person called wise, there is an experience that will lead to that conclusion; could be the reaction of the person to provocation, or how the person handled a potential conflict or the words that I heard the person say, and in very extreme cases, like in today's extract, the words that were not spoken. 

This is the peculiar situation with wisdom, as seen in today's extract. We see wisdom from the manifestation of it in the lives of people around us; we call men and women wise based on our interaction with them, either by words, actions, reactions or relationships. Rarely do you call a man who does not speak at all wise. How do you measure his wisdom? How do you prove his wisdom? This is where God's measure of a thing is always different from how man measures the same. Man defines wisdom from that which he can feel, hear, see or sense. God measures wisdom from that which man cannot see or sense, such as the state of a man's heart and the fear of God in his heart. You don't first see or hear the fear of God, but you cannot doubt the proof of its existence in a man's life. It does not need to shout to be heard; but its impact cannot be denied. 

This is where the power of silence comes in. In a world that is shouting to be heard, this message is not popular. In a world where man wants to have the last word, or not to be seen as a silent fool, the message in today's extract goes against all that is natural. Yet, we read here that a person who is a fool is even considered wise when he learns to hold his peace and not say a word. It is not natural, which is why it is deemed to be wise when a man goes against all that is natural to him. There are instances when the right words will resolve a conflict and there are times when even the smallest word can ignite a war. Men have gone to war and lost their lives simply because of the wrong use of words. Men's lives have also been saved by the right use of words. I have to learn the right time for words and the right time for silence. It is a sign of wisdom to learn the right time for each of these. 

If I will be a life that God can use, I must be a life that God can trust with his deep secrets. It is not all that the eyes see that the mouth is permitted to speak about. Even Paul was not permitted to speak about the amazing revelations he saw of Paradise, not because they were not true, but because at the time, from God's perspective, it was not the right time to be revealed. I must have the same heart; not quick to speak, but quick to listen. Words have power, as seen in how God created the heavens and the earth. All who will live under God's command must also hsve that same heart, so that God can make use of them, and their lives can be instruments of use and impact in the hands of God. God's time of favour is here. 

Few instances where silence is deemed to be wise

Saying nothing is the wise thing to do