Discerning the way of wisdom is a learned practice that begins with humility. Seeking a mentor. Sitting in the passenger seat. Asking questions of those who know more than we do. Humble pie is sweeter than a bowl of struggle, so it’s prudent to seek counsel when we need it. Guidance¹ is better than guessing. 

A good example of this is learning to sail. You can’t just hop on a Sunfish and take it for a spin. There are too many moving parts, and most are counterintuitive. Move the tiller to the right and the boat turns left. Sailing toward the wind is nearly as fast as sailing with the wind. Sailing perpendicular to the wind is even faster.

Wisdom occasionally pounds on our mental door, but more often it knocks politely. A comment from a concerned friend. A flicker of recollection in our peripheral memory. Something we read, or a comment from a mentor whose counsel usually proves true. 

Since humility is the doorway to wisdom, admitting that I don’t understand is opening the door. And, since wisdom leads to expertise, humility prepares us to help others as well. Which is even better than sailing.

Proverbs 4:7; Proverbs 9:10; James 1:5; Proverbs 2:1-9; Proverbs 3:13-15

1. Guidance (tachbulah) / An ancient Hebrew nautical term related to working the lines and setting the sails to keep the ship moving in the right direction.