An old Chinese proverb reads: "A wise man makes his own decisions - an ignorant man follows public opinion." There is profundity in this pithy phrase.
We live in a world where wisdom has been cruelly distorted. People confuse knowledge with wisdom, and while there may be some correlation, they are both valuable but are nevertheless different attributes or characteristics of us humans.
Knowledge
Knowledge is certainly helpful, but it is not the end all solution to getting by in this world. We can pile up our knowledge through academia and earn a PhD and thus said to have knowledge. But what we actually have is around a 10% remembrance of the things we learned (or were indoctrinated with).
Knowledge comes by learning in other ways than through academic studies, too. We gain knowledge from our parents. We learn not to touch things that are hot. We come to understand that it is easier to haul apples in a wheeled cart rather than lug them in burdensome sacks. We learn that it is wise to look both ways before crossing a street. We also learn from books and other means of instruction.
And as we grow older we gain knowledge and pick up useful information to enrich our lives. We become increasingly more intelligent. But as professor of IT technology Erol Ozan says, "Intelligence without wisdom brings destruction."
Knowledge versus wisdom in a nutshell
Knowledge is simply gaining some semblance of clarity of facts and truths, though absolute truths are ever present, these too have been distorted. On the other hand, wisdom is the practical capacity to make consistently good decisions in our lives.
Wisdom
Again, wisdom has been distorted over time. There is a worldly wisdom which is never concerned with bringing any honor to God, but rather it is all about pleasing the self. This is observed in most of the people of the world.
If we are full of worldly wisdom, we may become educated and amass degrees and certificates and various honors; we may become street-smart, and we may even have some semblance of common sense that empowers us to play the world’s game of life rather successfully. But is that all there is to this brief mist called life? The answer is: not at all.
The opposite of worldly wisdom is Godly wisdom. It begins with the fear of God and results in a holy life. The fear of God is a profound respect for who God is and an intense hatred of sin.
Worldly wisdom says get rich, but God says, "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!" (Proverbs 16:16).
How to gain wisdom
We can gain wisdom by getting into and by applying God's everlasting word (Psalm 119:159). And James the brother of Jesus writes: "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). But we must have faith that He will!
We can also gain and develop wisdom by carefully choosing people who travel this brief life with us: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20).
What will it be, then?
Each day brings us several decisions that will change our course of life. Wisdom is all about making the right choices, choosing good over bad (Psalm 1). These choices are moral choices. Truth, unlike what the world teaches us, is not relative but is rather absolute. Choose wisdom. Choose life. Choose a godly life and be holy.
In our word we always say that, Use your own brain whatever you earn,don't be rich by helping other brains.And I always think that it's true.