Smart vs Wise

This article was used as a Cubmaster Minute for the Cub Scout Pack where I am the Cubmaster.

Smart vs Wise

My son Bruce wrote an article on Wisdom. The point of the article was to define wisdom. It got me thinking is there a difference between smart and wise. Intelligent people, like all of you, fight battles with words and facts. We beat each other up with facts, with how much we know. Smart people win these battles, wise people never fight them. Here are some ways to look at smart and wisdom.

Smart wins battles – wisdom convinces his enemy not to fight
Smart knows how to do things - wisdom considers when and if
Smart talks – wisdom listens
Smart knows the answer – wisdom wants to hear your answers
Smart is a collection of facts – wisdom is a system for using facts
You have to be smart to be wise – but you can be smart and not wise
The opposite of smart is stupid – it is genetic The opposite of wise is foolish – it is a choice
Smart starts young Wisdom takes time

That is really the point here. You can be the smartest kid in school, but if you are unsure of what to do ask the responsible adults in your life, they may have learned some things you could use with that extra 20 to 30 years of living they have done.