I've heard a large number of speakers in my lifetime.  Some have interesting subjects, but a horrible delivery.  Some have a great ability to deliver a speech, but nothing to say.  I heard a speaker last year where the guy who spoke had a terrible delivery style--really no style at all--really horrible, and had absolutely nothing to say.  That was the worst I've had to endure.

But every now and then, a rarity occurs.  You get to hear a superb speaker with a great delivery style who also has something to say that is interesting.  Last night I got to listen to a speaker like that.  I already knew the subject he was speaking on, however, he was so interesting to listen to, so fresh in the way he spoke, that he had my attention for the entire thirty minutes that he was speaking.

Holding someone's attention for thirty minutes is hard.  When I was a full time teacher at a college, (math) I programed fifteen minutes of talk and thirty minutes of hands on instruction.  Talking, and getting people to listen, is hard to do.  Showing them how to do it is easier.

Last night the speaker talked about the ways that people learn things.  I knew the subject--having lived with a Sociologist--Ken, after he retired from the Marines.  The speaker reiterated six ways we learn with interesting examples for each category.  Experience, knowledge we learn from experts in a field, reading, intuition, the five senses, common sense with reasoning, and revelation.  I knew these under different titles.  And am not completely sure that there aren't others.

But one thing I took away was his definition of wisdom.  Knowledge, gleaned from what we learn, needs to be coupled with understanding before it can produce wisdom.  What we do with the knowledge is what is important.  I'm sure you have all had teachers who knew a lot about their subject but didn't have a clue how to apply it to life.  I surely have had a few teachers like that.

I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs 4:7 which says, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting, get understanding."  It isn't what you know that saves you, it is understanding what to do with it.  Knowing everything ever written about Jesus is interesting, but understanding what you know, and accepting it into your life is the key to wisdom.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).


Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).
Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 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 (Proverbs 4:1-7).