How do I grow wise?

Together with a young friend, whom I will call 'Akio' (what is the meaning of his name) I was talking about wisdom. We both travel a lot by train and so did we this day. So, I asked him what wisdom was according to him. He said: "Honesty, that is wisdom." What is the thing that makes honesty wisdom? I was wondering, how could I proof this statement. I agreed with Akio; "I think growing in honesty is growing in wisdom." But what is a good definition of wisdom? "Honesty," Akio said, "and knowledge." So, now wisdom had grown to two meanings. So I questioned him what honesty and knowledge characterize, what makes it wise?

Around us some people, traveling together with us to Zutphen, where listening closely to what we said. Some others seemed not to be very interested. They read the paper or listened to music. But one of the listeners gave an explanation. "Honesty and knowledge are both righteous, which makes them wise." He was probably right. All righteous things probably are wise, because all wise things seem to be righteous. If the righteous things are wise and the wise things are righteous than I think I've gotten the answer that I was looking for. Akio said; "If the righteous are wise, than the evildoërs are foolish." It seemed very plausible to both me and him. I had still a little doubt. So I asked our fellow traveller what righteousness is. "Righteousness is," he said, "doing the things that are good for mankind and for our fellow humans."

It was Akio who opened his mouth at first. In his opinion neither humanity nor any human individual is the criterion, but the God. Righteousness is the act of trust towards the godhead which He likes. I, becoming curious, asked him what the God likes. "God likes honesty, worship, trust, and submission. But the thing God likes the most is having a relationship with Him." "So, the greatest of all wise things is having a relationship with Him?" I asked Akio. "Yes, he said, all these things I just mentioned are wise, and relationship is the wisest. All these forms of acting wise create wisdom."

Akio is a very smart young man. We had a discussion about philosophy and together we realised that philosophy must not be about the principles, but about all the small, the special things. It must be about the gifts of each day, because each day has enough horror and enough joy to carry. Here he made a statement that is very much alike. Wisdom is the sum of all the times that you decide not to do some evil, but to do the righteous thing. Even so righteousness is made of all these things that are liked by the God; honesty, worship, trust and submission, and at most the relation with the God.

We all know the the bible learns us in Ecclesiastes that fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. Fear in this context is about voluntary submission, trust and worship to the God. A relationship with the God. Doing what He/She asks for. So, it is wise to submit to the God. This God is a God of righteousness. But, it is the beginning of all wisdom. But what is wisdom? What makes doing the things the God likes wise?

"God made you, so He knows what's best for you." Akio had a strong idea in his head about wisdom; "If He says someting is best for you, He'll probably be right, don't you think?" Well, I was thinking all the time, and yet, doubting. The truth is as plain as it is complex.

In the very first beginning of mankind there was only one kind of people. The Adam (bloodred ground) was a believer. So was Eve, also a believer. But God did not intent it to be so. He created also the believers above the earth, in the heavens. Between them He made a distinction that cannot be breached, He created the sky. As you read in genesis you will find that there is made some barrier between the waters, which stands for the faithfull. God also made dry ground. Dry ground stands for people who do not bare fruit. They are the unfaithfull. They take no heed of the things the God says.

People who do not take heed of those things are called fools. They do what they desire and what's righteous in their own eyes. They are righteous in their own eyes, just as we all are. Look at David, one of the greatest philosophers of all time. He was in his psalms looking to earn his right. He found himself being done injustice and called to the God to do him justice. He called to God. And he was beloved by God, so God did do him justice.

We all keep wondering how we can achieve wisdom. But who is searching for it? A tree must grow in wisdom, or it will die. A tree cannot grow without fruitfull ground and clean water. You cannot grow in wisdom when you are living on dry ground. Buth when you live near the sea or near the river you will grow in wisdom. When you live on the shore you are in touch with other faithfull, who will stop you when you do wrong. You are just so you will be done justice. You are right, so the God will do righteous to you. You are wise so the God will give you wisdom. Because the God gives you streams of overflowing wisdom.

Now tell me. What is wisdom? Akio, please tell me, what is wisdom? Isn't wisdom the food that we receive? The spiritual force that makes us grow up? Isn't it the fruit that we bear? Isn't it you? If you have received the source of wisdom you must live according to this source. You can be baptized showing that living water is your source of wisdom. Fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. The unfaithfull bear no fruit, they cannot bear fruit. They are dead. Their wisdom is dead. Wisdom is bearing fruit in the light of the maker. Bearing fruit. "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"

A "plain and simple minded" man can make wisdom as he stands in the water of live. But those who refuse this allflowing water will not find it, for they do not seek.