Wisdom and Understanding

Proverbs 4: 5-7 "'Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! ... Do not forsake [wisdom], and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; 
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.'"

Woah woah woah, wait a minute! I did a double take when I came across that yesterday morning. All my life I've thought that saying "wisdom and understanding" is like saying "cold and chilly" - repetitive because in my mind they can be used interchangeably.  

The start of wisdom in life on this earth is to gain possession of it through the act of seeking. Not just helpful tips that make life a little easier or comfortable, but awe-inspiring overarching truths ~ not of this earth ~  from the Omnipotent, Omniscient Creator as we commune personally with Him. 

But it doesn't matter how much wisdom I scrounge up and hoard - if  I do not also seek understanding, than I live on in hurtful ignorance towards those in my life; wasteful and irresponsible by not recognizing the value of this precious information that I've been privileged to gain. If I claim that I want to life out wisdom in my life, than I need to be diligent in doing so because it doesn't just effect me, but everyone I interact with as well. Inconsistency will inflict damage on my relationships because, by all rights, I "should know better than that!" - how can anyone trust me if I say I'm seeking wisdom in how to live a godly lifestyle - to Love, encourage, and be a strength to those I care about - and than never actively follow through with this.

The first example that came to mind is if I told everyone that I was going to dedicate my life to becoming a professional photo editor. Then I acquire camera and software equipment, etc. But what if I didn't know how to use the camera or even a computer and felt it was unnecessary to gain a working knowledge of them? I would have proof that I gained the tools needed to fulfill this desire of mine ... I'd even have all the instructional manuals and possibly even people willing to talk me through or show me how to utilize these things. If I never made the effort to actually do all that it would take to become a photo editor, but still walked around proclaiming I was a professional, who would believe me? My integrity and sanity would be called into question.

To have wisdom guard and watch over our life paths, we must not turn away from it and we must have personal interest and affection invested in it.  Not pursing understanding is to make a mockery of God desires for our life. He wants us to have all the benefits His wisdom provides for us.

Now the question is, what is understanding? I thought I knew what it meant to comprehend something - be it through a person, place, or thing - but more and more lately I've found myself realizing that I don't always work to fully grasp the meaning of things, but just work off ideas and assumptions already held in my head. And I'm not talking about spiritual wisdoms I have incorporated into my life - I mean I have decided what sounds good or plausible with no regard to the infinite realities of the nuances of millions of unique lives and situations that are functioning every second of the day.

I have found myself blessed to keep having opportunities to spend time with people in my life discussing and sharing with each other the things we have experienced and discovered in life. I've found myself 4 or 5 hours later filling refreshed to look into the eyes of these friends, listening and being listened to, and wishing these beautiful conversations would not have to end - or at the very least not have to be paused until when ever the next time we can gather together might be.
Even in light of these opportunities so dear to me, I still make a mess out of relationships in my life - hurting those in my life through unrealized flippancy.
Human beings are so intricate and beautiful. The souls, spirits, minds, and hearts of all those that I have had the privilege of cherished time with remind me of the masterful hand of our Creator. The priceless signature of unique life experiences on each persons' life helps to remind me that life is not just my first-person point of view ... too often due to the fact that I translate life through only my perspective, I miss out on the wealth of all knowledge that can be gleaned from everyone else living moment by moment.
It breaks my heart when I hear people say with an element of hopelessness that they feel like they have nothing to share or contribute to this life. Too often the passions that are specific to individuals are stomped out because they don't feel like they are being heard or known. Rejection is a crippling poison that deprives so many from living out the deep, God-inspired desires specific to their lives.

I pray that I will no longer be negligent of the utter importance in life to attain wisdom and understanding and therefore better serve those in my life.

In writing this blog, I also discovered this inspiring passage that I would like to end with.

Proverbs 2:2-11
^"2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 
³ For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 
⁴ If you seek her as silver & search for her as for hidden treasures; 
⁵ Then you will discern the fear of the LORD & discover the knowledge of God. 
⁶ For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge & understanding. 
⁷ He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 
⁸ Guarding the paths of justice, & He preserves the way of His godly ones. 
⁹ Then you will discern righteousness & justice & equity & every good course. 
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart & knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 
¹¹ Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you."