Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom

15 July 2007 Sunday

Knowledege, Understanding, Wisdom

Knowledge - acquiring of knowledge
Understanding - Interpretation of knowledge
Wisdom - Applying of knowledge

Isn't is amazing how a person need all 3? Let me tell you why......


Wisdom is a very precious character in a person's life.
It is wisdom that determines whether a person do the right thing at the right time...
prevent bad things from happening in the future...
applying the actions at right situations so to ensure things go smoothly...

Wisdom is the word that causes actions from people.
If ever you got fed-up because someone did something and irritated you, it's because that person was unwise (Or unless you are petty, proud, or insecure)

So actually, everyone wants to have wisdom, just like how King Solomon (the wisest man on planet earth), Daniel, and especially Jesus had!

But before we have wisdom, we must understand the level it progresses..
Knowledge --> Understanding --> Wisdom...

Knowledge is just memorising facts. Knowing what is going on (The "WHO", "WHAT", "WHERE", "WHEN")...
But just 1 thing to inspire you - THE MORE YOU USE YOUR BRAIN, THE MORE DEVELOPED IT GETS, THE EASIER YOU CAN REMEMBER THINGS!
Now you know why some people keep forgetting things. =P

Understanding the knowledge is the 2nd step - to be able to interpret it (The "WHY"), knowing the reason of the cause. Knowledge alone cannot bring you anywhere, it just tells you, but if you have understanding, you will know things better, it enlightens.
But the very key thing here is the speed...to understand.
Daniel, in the bible, was quick to understand!!

It is like you have memorised the whole Math textbook, formulae, structures...but during the exam, you didn't do well because you couldn't finish in time... (Sounds familiar?)

This is a problem with the SPEED OF UNDERSTANDING - too slow...

BUT... the good news is that our minds can be developed. Besides just bombarding it with knowledge, facts, information, you can practise math questions (or other things) to train your mind to think faster!!! FASTER!!! Praise God, there is no such thing as born stupid or born slow!

Lastly, once you have the knowledge, understands all of it, you can choose to do something about it... And of course, it is the people who have wisdom that will apply their knowledge and do something fruitful.

Let's take an example to help understand things better. (Pastor How is awesome, man!?)

Information: What is happening to our nation's focus and direction in the next 20 years - increasing population to 6million? Singapore is thinking of decriminalising homosexuality. You don't know about it? (KNOWLEDGE!!! Go read the newspapers! Feed yourself with knowledge)

Understanding: Singapore wants to attract more people (preferable smarter people, lawyers, doctors etc...) to our country, and especially tourists as well also... So in order to do that, Singapore has to change from a "safe country" to a "exciting country". If you think about it, Singapore is termed as ... "clean, garden-city, efficient"? But is that fun? Well...no?

So that's why Singapore is trying to westernize, and allow more things like Casino, integrated resorts,(and thinking of decriminalising homosexuality) to be more open and exciting, to attract people.

Wisdom: Before I go on, you can ask yourself this question, "So? What do I do?" That is wisdom... After knowing what happen, understanding it, what are you going to do about it?

The wisdom in this situation is to: STUDY! Compete with these extra 2 million people that are going to come in and steal our occupations!!! If we don't study, by then we will be in workforce but these people that immigrate are like the top students of various neighbouring countries (or further), we are sure going to have a problem!

That's why Pastors are very concerned about our studies! 1st hand, it develops our minds, trains our brains! On 2nd hand, to earn us a living!

And what other actions we can take? GUARD OUR HEARTS. As Singapore is moving towards being open-minded and "exciting", we got to remain pure in our hearts and actions. Let's be a new generation of youths that don't succumb under pressure! Let's be strong! And to start training us for the future (to be able to work and yet serve God fervently), we got to start doing it now - to serve God fervently and yet doing well for out studies!!!

Philippians 4:13 All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me!

Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom!

You learn something? It will surely change your world! - Amen!

Academic Excellence,
Wei Jie