Anton Chekhov wrote, “Knowledge is of no value unless it is put to use.” To put knowledge to use sometimes requires wisdom. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom you may ask. Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit – wisdom is not adding one to your fruit salad.
Solomon received the wisdom from God for which he asked in prayer. He was considered the wisest man who ever lived (until Jesus came to earth), but his downfall was ignoring what he knew to be unwise when he married many women, including some who were not Jewish and worshipped pagan gods. We must be careful not to let our human desires crowd out our knowledge and wisdom. We can avoid that pitfall by studying the truth of God’s word and being receptive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit within us. However, we can read and study the Bible from cover to cover, memorizing chapter and verse, but until we establish a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, it is just a useless mental exercise. Once we have that personal relationship, God will help us apply His knowledge and wisdom to our everyday lives.
A noted Bible scholar was asked to sum up the Bible in one sentence. He replied, “Jesus loves me this I know because the Bible tells me so”. True knowledge begins with God’s love, mercy and grace.