Have you heard of data overload?

Researchers at the University of Southern California found that the average person in 1986 was exposed to the equivalent of 40 newspapers worth of information each day. By 2006 that number had increased to an equivalent of 174 newspapers a day.

And that was way back in 2006! Can you imagine what that number would be today?!

The reason I bring this up is because with all this information flying at us it’s easy to confuse information with wisdom. But one is not necessarily the other.

That’s why James 3:17-18 is so helpful. It tells us that godly wisdom causes us not only to think certain things, but to act in a certain way. Godly wisdom is “full of mercy and good fruit.” This means that true, godly wisdom will always give birth to more mercy and tangible acts of love in your life.

Random information is like a stale, monotone description of what technically makes a homo sapien. Godly wisdom, on the other hand, is a three-dimensional person in action, eager for knowledge, powered by God’s Spirit, and actively blessing others with mercy and love.

Don’t confuse getting more information with getting more wisdom. One is not necessarily the other.

Information can fill the head; but wisdom can fill the heart.

By Matthew Ruttan

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.
–“Up!” is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on May 6.