“Tim was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages, but he was so ignorant that he went out and bought a cow to ride on” (Ben Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanac). Without doubt, one should avail himself of as much education as possible because it will be an asset throughout life. Book learning, however, without any practical sense, is like having as many degrees as a thermometer, and not having enough ‘horse sense’ to get in out of the rain. One thus minded is sure to end up all wet!
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. (Proverbs 4:5-13)
Anyone who reads these simple and understandable verses is sure to conclude that God wishes for His children to attain knowledge and wisdom. We would all agree that the attainment of such is both desirable and profitable. Let us not, however, be deluded into thinking that worldly attainments alone can bring us into pleasant relations with Almighty God. The same mouth that urged getting wisdom, said in the same breath, get understanding. The writer Matthew soberly decries some who had…“ears dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart…” (Matthew 13:15).
In plowboy terminology, those who see with their eyes and hear with their ears, but have no understanding of heart, are not one whit better off than the old boy who could speak in nine languages, but went out and bought a cow to ride. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge! Being engaged in everything going without understanding where we’re going will land us in the shrink’s office, which has a growing clientele, which doesn’t understand the message on the ‘shingle’ outside his office door. It reads, “Soothing Treatment for Psycho-Ceramics.” Translated, that means, I work on ‘Crackpots.’ Knowledge and wisdom ‘wrested’ from God’s Holy Word is still only wrested Scripture and will net one nothing short of God’s denunciation at the end of life’s way. God gives man five senses! A successful man has two more: ‘horse’ and ‘common.’
