Wisdom is the ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way, especially to different situations from that in which the knowledge was gained.
It is said that EXPERIENCED IS THE BEST TEACHER, but to learn consciously through wisdom may even be a better and more convenient way. To learn by experience is to learn from mistakes. It means you have burnt your fingers and now "your eyes are open". This is a tough, costly and inconvenient way to learn. Rather than leaving our learning to experience, why do we not learn consciously with wisdom?
Prov.4:7 says " Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding". If we read down to verse 9, the Bible says if we exalt wisdom, it shall promote us, it shall bring us honour, if we embrace wisdom, it shall give our head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall be deliver to us.
We can learn by consciously going out of our way to acquire knowledge and wisdom rather than leave our learning to chance. Surely, we can learn from mistakes but why wait till when we make mistakes before we learn?
Prov.16:16 "Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly. Let your dealings with people be with wisdom and knowledge, other things inclusive. We should give more premium to learning by wisdom than by experience.
This will involve one making up one mind to be decisive in learning. We must decide to learn consciously and not necessarily from negative experiences. The first step is to realize that life is simply the GABAGE-IN AND GABAGE-OUT OF OUR DECISIONS. Our life is the sum total of our decisions today. If we decide to learn today we are not likely to make mistakes and when we do not make mistakes, experience need not be our best teacher.
The Bible says in Prov.14:24 " The crown of the wise is their riches but the foolishness of fools is folly. Also wisdom thoroughly learned is never forgotten.
To avoid making experience our best teacher will take more than a decision. We must couple our decision with a complete and wholehearted devotion. We must be resolved, resolute and resilient in our bid to learn by wisdom and not necessarily by experience. This is crucial because situations and circumstances will want us to change our plans and leave our learning and life to chance. We must therefore be disciplined to remain with our resolve to make a clean break with experience as our best teacher. Discipline in this regard means learning something everyday by wisdom rather than experience. It means consciously getting better by the day in your chosen field. Discipline will demand taking advantage of every learning opportunity that comes our way. It means we must pay the price for learning by wisdom - invest in books, magazines, seminars, multivating and creative social network platforms like STEEMIT(Powered by STACH), and studying the Bible, it will make us become wiser. It is much easier and cheaper to learn consciously by wisdom than to learn by experience.
Prov.16:16 "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver". When will learn by experience, the deed is done and we are just picking up the pieces - that is learning in regret how to avoid such predicament next time. Consider the child who grasps a burning coal, he has learned the hard way through the painful experience, but the scar of the burnt fingers will remain.
Ecc.7:12 says " For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is that Wisdom giveth life to them that have it".
Thus the saying that EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER, may not be justifiable at all.
To sum it all, the Bible says "If any lacks wisdom let him ask of God that gives liberally to all men and upbraideth not and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
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