a definition of wisdom

Wisdom is the mastery of those elements of life that are not systematically presented—the unwritten rules of existence. It involves sensing where you can go and where you cannot; what you may be drawn to and what you should resist. It discerns between love and infatuation, virtue and hypocrisy, what truly matters and what does not. It distinguishes what is useful from what is harmful, what is valuable from what is empty. It helps you make choices with the long term in view. It teaches you how to deal with naïveté. It even informs what you should pray for—and what you should not.

Wisdom helps uncover the roots of deep moral challenges and alerts you to potential dangers. It shows you how to carry yourself, what to wear, and what not to wear. It gives you the clarity and poise needed to navigate life’s fluid and unsystematic points of reference. It teaches you how to spend your time and resources wisely. It helps you recognize your weaknesses and suggests ways to address them. It helps you discern who should be your priority and who should not. It teaches you to know your limits, and to know whom you can trust—and whom you cannot.

Wisdom never harms; it builds. It draws you closer to God in the right way. Where there are no clear boundaries, wisdom leads the way. It is the means by which a person is liberated from folly, from the dissonance of being out of tune with reality. The wise are not boring; on the contrary, they are always growing, always inspired by new thoughts, always engaged with new questions.