"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." - Proverbs 4:7
I heard something the other day that I have been pondering every since. I was listening to a podcast and the host commented that many are "educated above their intelligence." I've been thinking about how it fits into our present world, both the "secular" and the "sacred" (although I would argue for a Christ-follower those should not be separate and distinct.)
I found that the original quote was attributed to science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. Despite his decidedly not being a Christian, I still find the concept worth thinking about. The quote as I found it:
“My favourite definition of an intellectual: ‘Someone who has been educated beyond his/her intelligence.’”― Arthur C. Clarke
In perusing the vast pit that is the interweb, I came upon a few more quotes that shared the sentiment.
“The man was such an intellectual he was of almost no use.”― Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
"Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.”― George Orwell
and the one that most correlates to the Proverbs passage above:
“Intellect is not wisdom.” - Thomas Sowell
Now I am not anti-education or anti-intellect. I fancy myself a life-long learner. However the sole purpose of education should not be to simply impart facts, but to teach the student how to think. The students aim should not just to be to "study to the test", but to reason why the facts they are taking in are correct. Key to this is being able to evaluate the information "learned" and filter through the lens of Scripture.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Surely there is benefit in higher education, of learning from experienced teachers skilled in communicating knowledge. But such learning will never complete and equip apart from Scripture.
Wisdom and understanding are not the same as education and intellect. In fact it seems at times they are total opposites. Knowledge is not the end all. Education is not the end all. In fact neither of those things matters at all if we do not have the ability to discern what is true and what is false. To judge correctly and apply accurately.
We are admonished in Scripture to "speak(ing) the truth in love". And here's some context for that verse:
"so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." - Ephesians 4:14-16
Paul is talking here about being equipped for ministry and to maturity. He contrasts those who have no sound doctrine, describing them as "children tossed to and fro..." with those who know the truth and therefore can confidently share it in love, knowing that love does not always mean telling people what they want to hear.
Our culture thinks of wisdom, and truth, and love as concepts, when in fact they are all a person. - the God-Man Jesus Christ. We must be diligent to study what He tells us in order to know what is wise and true and loving.
Are we doing our part to "Study...and rightly divide the word of truth?"
It's the only way to Get Wisdom...Get Understanding.
