Learning Wisdom from a Fool
Having wisdom doesn’t mean you have made all wise decisions…in fact, it could mean the exact opposite. Wisdom often comes from painful and bad experiences. In fact, some of the greatest wisdom I have gained have come from some very foolish decisions I made in life. Many times you could have easily called me a fool. Hopefully I’ve learned from those times and can share my experiences with others. Certainly I hope my sons are learning from my bad decisions.
The Bible is full of this concept. Take for example Solomon, supposedly the wisest man of all times.
Those that know his story know he also made many mistakes. Read 1 Kings 11:1-4, as an example. Then read Ecclesiastes 10:1-3, 8-10 It’s almost like Solomon was saying, “I’ve learned a few things…take it from me…” Solomon was full of wisdom, given to him by God, but much of that wisdom towards the end of his life, apparently came through experience.
Life experiences, good and bad, have a way of smoothing out the rough edges of a person’s life and over time gives a person wisdom. Sometimes the “wise old man” (or woman), didn’t get that way by living a perfect life, but by learning from the times of imperfection. That being said, be willing to learn from people that have failed greatly, knowing that their wisdom today can protect you from making some of their same mistakes.
What’s one foolish decision you have learned from?
How are you allowing others to learn from your bad decisions?
Finally, who is a former “fool” you could learn from today?
For more thoughts on seeking wisdom, click HERE.
(For those that typically ask, I bought this picture from iStock, so I don’t know the guy. If he’s your grandfather, I don’t mean to offend. I was simply looking for the picture of an older man. I am sure he is a very nice man, but I bet if you could find him, you’d find a man that would agree he’s learned a lot from his mistakes in life.)
