Knowledge
Knowledge is comprised of information, facts, figures, and intellectual concepts. What we know can be very valuable in our lives and in the world. And sometimes, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.
Knowledge can expand our horizons or limit our possibilities.
So what is worth knowing to begin with?
The answer is not out there ~ it resides within.
Making Knowledge Matter
When you embark on a learning journey of any kind, it is most rewarding when the material you are learning has relevance and meaning in your life. Say, you enroll in an academic program, which many Service Providers do. Something has led you to this decision. You have a yearning to use this knowledge in the world. You likely have a depth of curiosity that is propelling you forward. You can see how what you are going to learn about can readily be applied in your life. And you simply want to know more.
Of course, there is the outcome of the degree or diploma that you hope will open up career doors for you at the end, however, it is your commitment to the process that will make the journey enjoyable and the learning more meaningful.
We also “learn” a great deal through mass media and social media these days. Notice how your eyes and ears are drawn to those stories that you resonate with ~ the ones that seem to have some important information for you. You might garner a nugget of knowledge significant to you or you may waste 10 minutes that you can never get back.
Wisdom
When you think ~ Wisdom ~ do you suddenly get an image of an old, long-bearded man sitting high atop a mountain? We often equate wisdom with age.
Have you ever gazed into the eyes of a child and tapped into an immense energy of wisdom?
Because wisdom has more to do with experience than it does with intellectual traits, it is understandable that we believe that the older we get, the more experience we have, the wiser we become. However, wisdom has no number.
Wisdom is a spiritual quality in my books. It is borne from the examination of our lives and experiences and is reflected in our capacity to interpret and re-interpret life events fuelled by a desire to understand a deeper meaning.
If we are lucky and we are paying attention, we will come to recognize the totality of all that we have learned in ways that transform us and alter our interactions in the world ~ and ultimately how we connect more deeply with ourselves.
Knowledge gives us the facts of a situation and helps us to articulate what we have learned. Wisdom shows itself when we arrive at a similar crossroads and make a choice based on what we have already come to learn ~ what we know.
And that, to me, is the difference. You can know all kinds of stuff in your head. When that knowledge moves down into your heart and absorbs into your soul, it becomes wisdom ~ powerful guidance to help you integrate your life lessons in tangible ways, underscored with the essence of patience, self-compassion, humility, and confidence.
Knowledge and Wisdom in Acts of Service
When it comes to serving others, knowledge provides us with information about tools and techniques, resources and research, and community programs and processes.
Wisdom aligns us with our intuitive guidance. Wisdom tells us when someone is ready to grow ~ to take an unfamiliar step. Wisdom creates a space for acceptance of what is while simultaneously holding the vision for what could be.
Let’s get started!
How does Wisdom express itself in your life?
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