“One learns through the heart, not through the eyes of intellect.” —Attributed to Mark Twain

When I read that quote, my mind went back to King Solomon. He was known to be wise. According to the Old Testament, he was asked what gift he would like to receive from his creator. He asked for a listening heart or understanding heart. That is wisdom.

Often we think of knowledge as wisdom. We might conclude that if we just know more, then we will be able to solve the riddles of life. My parents who were forced to drop out of school as children due to family tragedy or economic hardship knew the difference in wisdom and education. They referred to folks who had degrees but no wisdom as educated fools.

Don’t misunderstand me, I value education and see it as a tool with which we might address challenges in life. However, without wisdom, knowledge might be a tool for destruction rather than one to build a better society. Knowing when and how to use a tool is part of craftsmanship. Knowing when and how to use knowledge is wisdom.

One needs only to look at history to discover how a deaf heart might lead one into destruction. No greater irony or illustration may be found in Alfred Nobel, for whom the Nobel Peace Prize is named. His invention of dynamite has made connection of one people to another possible through blasting away rock for roads, tunnels and passageways. And the destructive power of explosives in the wrong hands has brought down buildings and taken lives.

Nuclear technology has brought us the capability to destroy the planet and provide energy to light the world. I would suggest the only ingredient in the formula that will determine the profitable use of this technology is wisdom not knowledge. That is the “X" factor that determines the appropriate use of knowledge.

Wisdom directs our knowledge. Wisdom whispers into the soul of our being words of prudence, caution, direction and reason. A listening heart tells us that just because we may be able to do something we need not follow the alluring voices that cause our ships to crash on the rocks. To do so would be, well, just stupid!

Now back to Mark Twain’s quote. How do we learn through the heart? I would suggest that like much of life it is simple but not easy. At the risk of oversimplifying such an important part of our development as a person or a society, it begins with a desire to have a listening heart.

We begin to seek to be more open hearted and more open minded. We don’t presume to have it all figured out. We see the possibility in one another. We listen to one another and to that still small voice. Some call it God, some call it the inner voice, and some call it conscience, which mean “with knowledge.” Isn’t that interesting?

Antoine Saint-Exupery writes in "The Little Prince," "The essential things in life are seen not with the eyes but with the heart. One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."

The lyrics of a contemporary song ask, “Open the eyes of my heart…” Solomon asked God to open the ears of his heart. Maybe we might ask for the grace to be open hearted, to the holy and to the human.

Now that seems smart!