"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 9:10; 8:13."
If WISDOM was a course we go to school to study and graduate with, then I think that would be the most extensive and expensive of all courses, and only the educated would be wise.
But it is way far from being educated. Education only adds to one's knowledge, but this knowledge is not wisdom in itself. We have so many educated but foolish people all over the world. How do I know, right? It's simple, if a man says, "There's no God" or if he doesn't regard God in his words, actions or deeds, then I tell you this, he is a fool.
Now, having the fear of the Lord, is just the beginning of what I am talking about, wisdom. It shows you are now ready to obtain the wisdom. You don't just have wisdom in the head like some kind of maths formula that you could apply to a problem just the way it is and then get your result. It is rather, something we get to know more about as we grow, experience things and live till the day we leave. In other words, you can't say, "let me get the fullest of wisdom by studying", it doesn't work that way, else, the professors of schools today would be encyclopedial in terms of wisdom.
Wisdom is not like having the whole idea of knowing how to drive a manual car for instance: hands on the wheel, start the engine, your left leg on the clutch, your right hand on the gear, and your right leg on the accelerator, then eyes up and be focused. It is what you keep seeking for, and you keep understanding till you've lived your whole life. If wisdom was like a knowledge one could get in it's entirety, then Solomon in the Bible, of all people, should have known better that getting married to all those women was a bad idea.
Also, to fear God is to hate evil, which includes pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth. The proud and arrogant person thinks they have attained the peak of knowledge or possessions. Therefore, they walk like a male peacock, swinging the tail in a manner that says, "I know what am really doing, I've got this under control, 'cause I have what it takes in my powers!"
The froward mouth also, is one full of disobedience and works contrary to what's right or what's supposed. This mouth opens up wide without giving a thought about what's about to come out, and it spits out all kinds of abominable things.
Take a good note from the opening verse above, it didn't say, "The fear of the Lord is wisdom completely". That is to say, wisdom in it's totality. But what it says is, just the beginning of wisdom like I mentioned. This means one, if you don't have the fear of the Lord, then am sorry, you have not even started the journey, and secondly, after having His fear, your wisdom increases as you get to fear Him more and as you develop yourself to having an increasing relationship with Him personally.
Wait for a moment, am not trying to preach here. Nah... Not at all! But what other book can you possibly make reference to in the whole world when searching for wisdom, or when seeking for answers to life's challenges and issues, encyclopedia, or the internet?
Well, the Bible is really underrated by even many so-called Christians today. People prefer to travel round the world, seeking for fortitude and fortunes, meanwhile the solutions are all rightly given by the Scriptures with them. I can't really guess how much percentage, but, by experience, almost every so-called young Christian person's smart phone I have come in contact with, has the Bible app on it, but can we find up to 10% who care to read this Bible? It's just the truth am talking about and not preaching, and, don't get it twisted, me writing about wisdom, is not enough reason to say I've got it all, nah! What am doing here is just simple skill exhibition. Am only using the knowledge or gift of teaching to explain what is written about wisdom, especially from the Bible, 'cause that's the best reference I can or anyone else can ever find.
Now, being wise most times, isn't about being able to conquer an army, or render useless an enemy. It is being able to uphold and esteem principles over materialism. Yes, life has it's principles and cautions, and it's not out of the abundance of your strength or wealth that makes you outstanding, but being able to follow these life's principles, without pride or arrogance. To therefore walk and work in accordance to life, one requires discipline, which is to say, having the ability to accept only what you ought to, and of course reject every other thing that isn't right, however enticing they might seem.