Feb 16, 2014

Seeing with the ‘eyes of your heart’ (Ephesians 1: 18-19)

This figure of speech echoes Antoine Saint-Exupery's Mr. Fox when he tells the Little Prince that "It is only with the heart that one truly sees." And perhaps this relates to the idea of wisdom being defined as Discerning God's Will in any given matter - being able to separate one's own will from that of God within oneself and knowing (not 'saber' but 'conocer' in Spanish; or in English not 'head knowledge' but the 'heart knowledge' of personal experience of a thing).

    In order to appreciate the consequence of having more rather than less wisdom, consider the different perception level of an expert versus novice; for example, in the arena of forest management --the expert sees the whole and connection to the parts, as well as the inner workings of each part of the forest as it unfolds on a 12 month cycle and on a generational cycle of succession from one forest-type to another. The novice sees much of a sameness and with imagination probably shackled to the immediate present, not the things that came before and those to follow. As a result of the 'wise' vision, a person can make better decisions and actions.

    Or maybe there could be two experts - one is an analytical consultant of forests, but the other grew up surviving in the seasons of the woodland and sees things in different, but no less sophisticated terms. Comparing those two different kinds of wisdom a different vision emerges and from that follows the available actions and impulses. So there is consequence to pursuing deeper knowledge and wider wisdom in relating to one's Neighbors and one's God. Even though one can never reach the end of the learning process, merely to advance a few steps takes one to the next rise and the resulting view that spreads out before one's eyes.

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