Wednesday with Words: Wisdom

Wisdom.  Perhaps the word is overused.  Or maybe I am in great need of it.... it sure keeps popping up in what I read and hear lately.  We read a chapter from Proverbs each week as part of school, and it is both full of wisdom and full of talking about wisdom.  It comes up in church.  It comes up in other books I'm reading (Consider This, and Formation of Character).  Then I got a free copy of Wisdom is a Woman to review (I haven't read it yet, though).  So, let me give you some words of wisdom about wisdom this fine Wednesday!  Here are some things I have learned.

• Wisdom isn't knowledge.  Wisdom USES knowledge.
• Wisdom does not necessarily come with age.  It must be searched for, and asked for.
• Wisdom comes from God.  It is a virtue.

Okay, but so what?  That still doesn't tell you what wisdom IS, so let's go to a definition.  Google says:

1. the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.

Sure.  But the next definition seems closer:

2. the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

Dictionary.com best encapsulates what I think of as wisdom:

3. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight

Knowledge of what is true or right combined with justice and right actions.  That's it!  It isn't what you know, but having the right thoughts and actions to use that knowledge to improve yourself and the world around you.

How would you define wisdom?