Practicing Wisdom
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained thenselves to distinguish good from evil.
—Hebrews 5:14
“Wisdom, let us attend!” shouts the Orthodox priest at each service before the reading of Holy Scripture. This ancient call is a wonderful phrase because it implies that the mere reading of the Scriptures can impart not just knowledge, but wisdom to the one who listens attentively.
The practice (or constant use) of wisdom is at the core of our growing towards maturity. Sadly, imparting wisdom has little place in our nation’s current educational goals. This is because wisdom begins with the ability to discern good from evil, whereas our “value-neutral” educational system asserts that such things should not be “imposed” on pupils. For this reason, it is all the more important to impart wisdom in our homes and in our churches.
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Thomas S. Buchanan is the George W. Laird Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He has studied at UCSD, Northwestern University, and MIT, and has held visiting professorships at the University of Western Australia and the University of Aix-Marseille. He has served as department chairman, deputy dean, and institute director, president of the American Society of Biomechanics, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Biomechanics. He is on the Board of Trustees of Saint Katherine College, the editorial board of Touchstone, and the board of The Fellowship of St. James.
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