Today’s verse is from Proverbs 19:8:
To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
Think back to a time when you made a “rookie mistake” or an error in judgement that harmed yourself or others. Maybe it was an email sent in haste or possibly a major life decision made without first gathering enough facts. Now place yourself in that same situation today and think about how you would handle it differently.
Wisdom and understanding explain the difference between poor decisions of the past and better decisions today. And these better decisions impact us in very positive ways including improved health, better relationships, and success in business. All of these things make life better for us and those around us, so it is true that “to acquire wisdom is to love yourself”.
Wisdom can either be acquired through direct experience or through the experiences of others. Wisdom gained through direct experience is often painful since it may involve making mistakes and having to recover from them. For example, a speeding ticket may help us remember to drive more responsibly, and hurt feelings resulting from words spoken in haste will remind us to be more patient and kind.
On the other hand, gaining wisdom through the experiences of others is typically less painful. This can be accomplished by reading or listening to wisdom literature, by participating in wisdom-oriented ministries, or by surrounding ourselves with wise people who can help us make good decisions.
On the surface, learning through the experience of others is the easier ways to gain wisdom but typically, as Stephen Covey would say, these activities are important but not urgent. Life pulls us in many directions and there always seems to be something urgent that distracts us from the pursuit of wisdom and understanding.
Whether you gain wisdom and understanding through your own experiences or through the experience of others, doing so is one of the best ways to love yourself.
Here are a few questions to help us dig deeper and figure out how we can better prioritize the pursuit of wisdom and understanding:
- Why do you think it is important to God that we do things to love ourselves?
- While it may be true that it is easier to gain wisdom through the experience of others, some would argue that our own experience creates more of a personal impact and, as a result, is more effective in helping us gain wisdom. What do you think?
- In your experience, what are some of the best ways to gain wisdom and understanding?
- If it is true that gaining wisdom is important but not urgent, what strategies can we employ to make this more of a priority in our lives?
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