Conventional Wisdom

We hear a lot today about something called “conventional wisdom.” In some circles, it is viewed as very authoritative.

Is it? Can we always depend on conventional wisdom? 

According to www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary, “conventional wisdom” is defined as: “the generally accepted belief, opinion, judgment, or prediction about a particular matter.” That definition suggests strongly that conventional wisdom should not be seen as any sort of final authority on anything. Our own experiences should reinforce this.

After all, can you not think of times when conventional wisdom was proven to be wrong in political elections – even sometimes for the highest office in our nation? There was a time when, according to conventional wisdom, no human would ever be able to run a mile in under four minutes. That barrier is broken routinely today. In earlier times, conventional wisdom suggested “cures” for certain physical maladies that, today, are known to be worthless or even harmful.

We could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Conventional wisdom can change from time to time. It can even be found to be totally wrong.

Why is this the case? Why are we on dangerous footing if we rely totally on conventional wisdom?

The reason is actually fairly simple. The wrong source is being used as the standard.

True wisdom is not determined by a majority vote. In fact, it is not determined by any vote at all.

True wisdom has only one source. James would write that true wisdom is “…from above…” (James 3:17).

Paul was inspired to contrast what might be called conventional wisdom (had that term existed in his day) with true wisdom in the following passage:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1:18-25)

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write much more about this subject, but this should be sufficient to cause us to ask ourselves an eternally important question.

Are we using the only real standard for, and source of, wisdom as we make our decisions, choose our lifestyles, etc., or are we being guided by the world and its constantly changing – and often wrong – standards?

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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn