You’ll see me return to this topic again and again, as it is an underlying theme in most everything we teach. That is, Wisdom, Understanding, & Knowledge. Today I want to discuss it as applied as the 3 Seasons of Learning.
Many years ago we ran across the classical Greek philosophy in education called the Trivium, 3 levels of learning. We also saw repeatedly this paralleled in Christian education to the Biblical Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom. I began studying it out – praying, searching, researching. In fact, it was my first “4 R’s” study through the Principle Approach. Even as I was continuing this study,a through a very unsuspecting source the Lord laid a twist in my thinking – a paradigm shift. In a seminar that had nothing to do with education, – it was on renewing your foundation to develop a whole and complete Christian life, – the speaker spoke on Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge saying that satan always turns God’s way upside down, in this case to Knowledge, Understanding & Wisdom – again, this was not in specific referral to education. He went on to say that the world (following satan’s way) thinks Knowledge will lead to Understanding, will lead to Wisdom. And Scripture teaches this is not what happens, knowledge puffs up, and Wisdom is the principle thing. That God’s way is Wisdom, Understanding, & Knoweldge.
This pulled at my heart for a long time. What he said made good Biblical sense, but how could I apply it, and what about the Trivium as it is taught? Back to prayer, search and research. What did I know to be true from the Scripture? What did I see in education – actually doing it, not philosophical theories?
I could see, on one hand, as I had studied this aspect much, the point of the “Christian” Trivium of the progression of individuals in learning to first “Poll-Parrot”, then to grasp the meaning in theory, then to apply it. We grow through those stages, that they term Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom in that sense.** But as always, I’m looking for deeper meaning. Was there a God-directed, Hebrew application? I’d studied enough to know that the Hebrew and Greek mindsets were nearly opposites, and the Trivium was a classical Greek philosophy. I knew that, as in psychology, the way that seems reasonable to man, is not always the way of the Spirit. Reason is not the highest authority. Spirit always supercedes. Did God have a higher way of the Spirit?
Because on the other hand, I could not see teaching my children to rotely memorize a bunch of unrelated facts, then as they matured hopefully they’d begin to grasp them and see how they fit together, then someday, if they were different than most of our society, they’d begin to use this information. But they really wouldn’t have any foundation to know anything more than they were taught, just to understand and use it better. That’s the way we were taught, to memorize a bunch of stuff that didn’t make sense, to pass in school. Then maybe, when you were in your late 20’s, 30’s or 40’s it would begin to make sense – if you continued to study. And then, you might actually do something to apply it, in your 40’s, 50’s, or so, when society considered you “over the hill’ and “out of touch”, and didn’t care to listen to what you had to say. Yes, some pushed through and “made it”; they were “gifted” enough to pull it together. But, sadly, many just decided it wasn’t worth it. They “tried learning, it didn’t work, so why bother.” No, what if my kids got caught in this drudgery and didn’t make it through to the other side?
Surely God has a better way. God says, “Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore, get Wisdom …” If Wisdom is the most important thing, that’s where I’ll begin. So, what do I know – What is Truth – about Wisdom? Well, God says if I lack it, ask and He’ll give it; and that “God gives Wisdom …” OK, so I can’t get Wisdom, just by studying and progressing through certain levels of learning. It only comes from God. Because God also says that man’s “wisdom” is really utter foolishness. Next, how does God give it? Through the only way that man can recieve from God, by Revelation. God reveals Himself in two ways, in our hearts, which is capable of decieving us; and through His Word, which is infallable. So, the only fool-proof way to recieve Wisdom is through His Word, though He will also lead the heart that is connected to Him in ways that agree with His Word.
OK, I now know that Wisdom only comes from God, and He gives it primarily through His Word – now what exactly is it? It’s been defined as the ability to apply the right solution, knowing what to do, good counsel, knowing God’s way or will, applying God’s ways or Truth, or my all time favorite, seeing all of Life from God’s perspective. So Wisdom is being able to see the Big Picture, God’s view and purpose, and then carrying through and acting on it. Whoa, can that really be done? Hey, He’s the one that said, “If you lack, ask Me, and I’ll give it!” What great news!!!
Is this beginning to make sense to you, as it did me? Of course, as Christian home educators we all want to be “Bible-based”, but we aren’t talking anymore about following that old wine skin of rotely memorizing a few verses, or being able to retell the main stories. We are asking Him to reveal His viewpoint and purposes to us, as we study and meditate upon His Word. We are beginning internally, with the Sprit. Looking to see first, Heart to heart. Not beginning with the external, Law, the dry letter that appeals to our heads rather than our hearts. As we see His purposes we are actually unveiling Biblical Principles, that we can grow to understand, see in various aspects of His Creation, and apply to our own lives.
Now we’re getting somewhere. We have just poured new wine into new wineskins!! Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty, but the letter of the Law brings death!! To put this all in very simple terms, rather than beginning with dry, rote facts “Knowledge”, we begin with the Revelation of Biblical Principles – “Wisdom”. As we grow in Wisdom, He gives Understanding – we possess His Principles (even make them our own) and we begin to gain greater insight “Understanding” of them. Then, as we are able to see what His Principles are all about, we begin to see how they apply to everything around us – to all the “subjects” and “facts” of “school”. We gain Knowledge that isn’t rote memorization of dates, places, and rules that don’t make sense; but is rather an application, in God’s Providence, that we can learn from, of His Principles. And further!!, as we see how His Principles apply in His Creation and HisStory, we can relate those things to OUR lives, and make application there also. You see, we have completed the cycle of Seasons and returned to Wisdom – applying God’s Truth, in our own lives.
Now, let’s take a look at Proverbs 24:3-4: “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Here’s the application: None of us begins to build a house with the wall hangings and furnishings – Knowledge. Building is begun by laying a foundation and constructing the framework – Wisdom, the Big Picture, Biblical Principles. Next, the rooms are framed in, siding, a roof and drywalled added. It’s function is established – Understanding, seeing how it works and fits together. Then we decorate the rooms, beautify and make useful – we see the beauty of God’s Principles in all of Life and Learning – as seen in Creation, HisStory, Governments, Economies, Communication, and Dominion Skills. And in turn, we apply them to those areas in our lives.
My search led me back to one of the first places I’d started, the Principle Approach, which is an educational approach based on teaching Biblical Principles. One of the educational approaches that we have adopted Biblical principles from in formulating our own Lifestyle Education through Discipleship. The first Bibllical principle recognized by the Principle Approach is that of “Individuality”. It’s one that we have truly applied in our family’s education. Note, this application was not arbritary Individualism; there is a difference. We began with universal Biblical Principles – God’s view, which we studied and prayed about, to gain greater Understanding of. Then we saw how they were applied in other places; while we sought God for how He wanted us to apply them in our own home. We strongly encourage you, also, to seek God for His application for YOUR family, as you seek and find His Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge in the 3 Seasons of Learning.
** Note: See a future post on our “3 StAges of Learning” – which are really Seasons too, but in a different context 🙂
P.S. I didn’t elaborate much on Understanding and Knowledge, as we all know what they are. Understanding is “getting it”, something making sense. Knowledge is learning the facts, as in “book learning” or “head knowledge”. Which to prove it does not lead to understanding or wisdom, is seen opposed to “common sense” meaning “just knowing”, or heart knowledge, the sliver of the image of God still seen in some men. 🙂
