We live at a time in which we are constantly inundated with information. We live much of our lives within the glow of digital devices that are constantly beeping, buzzing, and flashing to tell us there is new information available to be had—text messages, emails, tweets, headlines.
But in such a context, it is important to understand the distinction between information and wisdom. Where information is mere facts and figures, wisdom is the application of those facts and figures to real life. Man shall not and cannot live by information alone. He must live by wisdom. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). If we are not careful, we can read our Bibles like we read the news—as a means to gain facts but not as a means to grow in wisdom.
Thomas Watson reminds us that simply reading the Bible is not enough, for mere facts will do us little good. He says, “The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is, because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation.” We must slowly ponder it, we must diligently apply ourselves to it, we must let ourselves meditate upon it until we have grown not only in information but in wisdom.
