Can Wisdom be Taught?

[Donald Wehmyer]

Can Wisdom be Taught?

Donald Wehmeyer​

Wisdom is an attractive word. Who would not wish to be wise or be called wise? Yet we live in a curious situation, throughout our educational journey, from elementary school through university, no specific courses offer to teach wisdom. Why is this so?

One answer might come from the way wisdom is commonly understood today.

The American Heritage College Dictionary (Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston,1993. pg.1548) defines the word in four ways with the following entry:



Wisdom, n. 1. Understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment. 3a. The sum of scholarly learning through the ages; knowledge. 3b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. 4. A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.



These definitions raise several questions.. Why is there no hint that wisdom includes a degree of care and caution? Nor is there any indication that wisdom transcends age? After all, there are children who demonstrate great wisdom and adults who offer nothing but foolishness. And, most importantly, why is there no celebration of wisdom's profound value? Perhaps by looking at each definition in turn we can find some answers to these questions.

Examining each definition reveals further limitations. The first definition says wisdom is insight into what is true, right and lasting. Unfortunately, insight (discernment) is a subjective word. Its meaning is vague. Furthermore, in the modern era of constant advertising, today's truth is routinely superseded by tomorrow's new and improved version. The second definition detaches wisdom from any universal or transcendent qualities, reducing it to common sense or good judgment bound by specific times and cultures. The third definition presents wisdom as “the sum of scholarly learning”—an impossibly vast concept beyond anyone's grasp—or as the "wise teachings of ancient sages." It is doubtful that anyone can know what this means, and it puts wisdom forever out of the reach of everyone. Furthermore, does this mean that the whole of wisdom was discovered in the past? Finally, the fourth definition is empty, as it does not say how one might recognize a wise plan or if the wisdom of the plan is determined before or after it is executed.

Looking at these American Heritage definitions it is not hard to see why no effort is made in the schools today to teach wisdom. These definitions of present wisdom as something vague, culturally limited, impossible to achieve, trapped in the past, and ambiguous. To this we add the previously identified issues of the lack of any reference to caution, availability to the whole population, or desirability.

Combined with the absence of references to caution, universal accessibility, or inherent value, these definitions render wisdom nearly incomprehensible. Biblical counsel such as, “Wisdom is God's treasure, and He offers it to you. Seek it with all your heart and He will give you His understanding,” (Proverbs 8:1). With the college dictionary definitions, one might as well try to grab a fistful of fog.

Therefore, it may prove helpful to go beyond the secular dictionary’s view of wisdom and see if the Christian understanding offers something more substantial. For this we turn to, Baker’s Dictionary of Theology (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1972, pg.554) It concludes a three-page explanation of wisdom with the following observation: “The distinctive element in the NT wisdom is its identification with Jesus Christ as the wisdom of God (I Cor 1:24), who becomes the ultimate source of all Christian’s wisdom (I Cor. 1:30).”

Here we have specificity. Identifying Jesus Christ as the source of wisdom means both his thoughts and actions convey wisdom. Consider his teaching: “…give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” and “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” These verses contain both thoughts and practical actions.

The thoughts and actions of Jesus demonstrate three important things. (1) He was clearly aware of the constantly changing circumstances in people's daily lives. (2) He was consistently focused on the Kingdom of God which encompasses dependable, unchanging standards such as love, patience and service. (3) He made skillful use of the dependable, unchanging standards from the Kingdom of God to guide his thoughts and actions amid life's constant changes.

If we rephrase these three characteristics we will find a workable definition of wisdom. Christian wisdom is the careful interpretation of the immediate circumstances using standards confirmed by Jesus Christ, to determine our thoughts and actions. Using this definition, pursuing wisdom is not a useless effort to grab a fistful of fog, but a desirable, practical and verifiable goal to seek after.

The contrast between the secular and theological definitions of wisdom illustrates the divorce between modern relativism and Christian faith. Modern relativism focuses primarily on the ever-changing empirical world. In a relativistic society, standards such as true, right, or lasting lose their power to guide and control because no universally accepted authority endorses them. Modern relativist society tolerates standards as necessary but provisional, always subject to revision by advancing science and technology. In a relativist society, as the college dictionary illustrates, wisdom becomes a weak, imprecise word that does not inspire. Thinking of wisdom in terms of universal standards such as love, patience and kindness that are always valid in all cultures, offers little attraction to a population that has been enculturated into a worldview that assumes science and technology alone offer the best path towards a healthy community for everyone.

Christian wisdom stands in direct contrast to relativism. It rests on the certainty that Godly standards apply to everyone equally in every generation. Teaching wisdom in Christian schools or at home is to begin the recovery, for the whole world, a person’s potential to follow Jesus as described in Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.”

The three components of wisdom--situational awareness, transcendent standards, and behavior consistent with both—can develop alongside vocational skills. Skills such as watching one’s presuppositions, studying scripture, understanding people, prayer, death, proverbs, stories, law, and practicing contentment, logic, courtesy, and hermeneutics are the beginnings of an outline for a course in wisdom that can be presented to students both in school and at home.

In this light, wisdom emerges as a skill, an acquired personal attribute to be learned, practiced and enjoyed. How it is taught may vary greatly but all can agree, it is time to rekindle the understanding that wisdom is an admirable personal characteristic to be cherished and pursued.

 

[Dkshotwell]

Wouldn’t experience be the key component to acquire wisdom? In his wisdom my father warned me as a child that touching that hot pan would bring much pain, but I didn’t learn wisdom from his oft repeated warnings, I only learned it by burning my hand. I don’t think wisdom can even be had lacking experience, let alone taught. I don’t quite understand the need to rekindle the understanding that wisdom is an admirable trait, have there been articles or discussions relegating it to a lower status lately? I think all Christian’s whatever their level understand that wisdom is a great thing to have.

 

[Donald Wehmyer]

Thank you, I should have refered more to experience. Regarding your question about why bring up the question of wisdom, I thought I had made that clear by citing the inadequate definition given in a common dictionary and the fact that the word is not in common discourse about education. Within the church I think like you, we good. But more live outside of the Kingdom than within it. Talking about wisdom may be a bridge to new conversations.