Literary Endeavors

Needless to say, it has been a while since I've posted anything. By this point, probably the only person who will ever read anything on here again is Jenn, who's user name I've forgotten by now (sorry Jenn). Anyway, as per request, I'll be putting up some writing in the hear future. It just so happens that such said future is close enough that I can include my writing on this very post. First is a poem I wrote the other day. I really like the cadence in it. Next is an essay on intelligence v. wisdom that has as yet to be titled.


Whither Will it Go?

How sad’s a verse when it is doomed
And in a grave it is entombed;
When he that gave it birth does naught
Because he’s killed without a thought.

When strivings cease and wars do end
Will these losses that offend
Be made aright and all return
From every grave and every urn?

Or will they better things then do
Than write a human line or two?
Will they better things compose
Than their missing rhymes or prose?

It is not for me to say
What will happen on that day,
When they rise and walk again;
Those who fell into death’s den.

But of this I can be sure:
There will be peace both bright and pure,
And in that glow devoid of strife
They will at last have joy and life.




[Insert Essay Title Here]
Intelligence alone is for fools, while wisdom is for those who have understanding. It is important to note that intelligence coupled with other qualities can be good, but by itself it is close to worthless. It is therefore important to make clear the distinction between wisdom and intelligence since they are often confused or assumed to be synonymous. Many people do not understand the meaning of the words, “intelligence,” and, “wisdom,” causing them to miss the difference between a stockpile of facts, and a well developed ability to make wise decisions.

Intelligence and wisdom, while somewhat similar at their root, are very different in application. Webster defines intelligence as, “The ability to learn or understand from experience; ability to acquire and retain knowledge; mental ability…use of the faculty of reason in solving problems…generally, any degree of keenness of mind, cleverness, shrewdness, etc.” Webster defines wisdom as, “Power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.” From this, intelligence is nothing more than accumulating knowledge and the ability to solve logic puzzles. Conversely, wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge and thereby make a good decision. Intelligence falls short of wisdom because it exercises only memory and, in some cases, self-centered shrewdness.

Intelligence can be useful, though without question its scope is very limited. No matter how smart a person is, and no matter how much knowledge a person accumulates, there will always be mountains more to be learned. Thus, any application of intelligence is limited to the relatively small portion of knowledge any given person has managed to retain. Even so, there are a number of topics that most people are familiar with, including pop culture, government, world events, educational subjects, and so forth. Since some people naturally excel at retaining this sort of information, they frequently appear to be more intelligent than other people. This can lead to one of the single greatest pitfalls of intelligence: arrogant self-reliance. A person who is generally considered to be smart will always be tempted to think too highly of himself. This is a rather unfortunate situation for a person to be in, for as the Bible tells us, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him,” (Proverbs 26:11-12). But if intelligence is not the same as wisdom, how does a person become wise and avoid pointlessly heaping up knowledge, or becoming an arrogant fool?

Wisdom, though fervently sought for, is difficult to attain. What then enables a person to find it? Before this question can be answered, it is important to understand that wisdom is the ability to make the right decision. The distinction between right and wrong requires a moral foundation, and of course, a solid moral foundation will allow a person to make Godly decisions. Returning to the question, Proverbs 9:10 states quite clearly where wisdom comes from: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Thus, to seek out wisdom, a person must first seek out God. This leads to one of the main contrasts between intelligence and wisdom: intelligence labors for the sake one’s self, while wisdom labors for the sake of God. This will in turn promote a number of internal qualities that are necessary to make wise decisions. These include self-control, patience, humility, and an ability to accept instruction, to name only a few, (Proverbs 10:19, 19:11, 11:2, 21:11). With a fuller understanding of what wisdom is, it becomes apparent that it is much more than merely memorizing facts. Instead, wisdom is an accumulation of virtues that leads a person to make morally correct decisions.

It is entirely possible to have a vast intellect and no wisdom whatsoever. If a person knows every point of etiquette, but becomes irate when another makes a faux pas, he has no wisdom. If he snaps at a person slower to understand intricate points of grammar than he, he has no wisdom. If he laughs at correction, he has no wisdom. If he looks down on anyone less intelligent, he has no wisdom. Intelligence comes with pride, and pride comes before humiliation; wisdom comes with humility, and humility comes before honor.


Well, there you have it folks! Err, folk.