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The Lord’s admonition to us with respect to learning is clear. He tells us, “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118).

The Lord is saying that both knowledge and wisdom are necessary. As stated simply in the words of this proverb from Guinea, West Africa: “Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand.”

A more complete explanation of the importance of both knowledge and wisdom is given in the words of Jacob, son of Lehi:

“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:28–29).

Here, we have a hint at how to find wisdom: we must hearken to the counsels of God. As the Lord has said concerning those who put their trust in Him:

“Their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.

“For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:9–10).

But most people do not understand this or do not live it; for them, education is purely an intellectual pursuit. We are easily indoctrinated in modern society to believe that we can really only know something through our intellects and our physical senses. There is no tolerance in the modern world for things that can’t be proven scientifically.

To read the full article on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, CLICK HERE.