Becoming Wise

There are three things that I believe go into becoming wise, things I'm working on...

·       Shutting Up

·       Opening Up

·       Admitting Yup

Silence, Vulnerability, Restoration

Shutting Up – Finding Reverence in Silence

We shut up, not in defeat, but in discipline.

Wisdom starts when we stop talking long enough to listen. Not just to others, but to silence itself. To the quiet voice of conscience. To the Spirit that doesn’t shout. In a world addicted to noise and opinion, restraint is radical. Shutting up isn’t passive—it’s the first act of reverence.

•         Proverbs 17:28 — “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”

•         Ecclesiastes 5:2 — “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.”

Flip the cultural script that says silence is weakness, and see that it’s wisdom. It invites us to pause before we speak, to listen before we lead. In the presence of mystery and holiness, silence becomes reverence. It’s stepping toward wisdom.

Opening Up – The Courage to Receive

We open up, not in weakness, but in wonder.

To become wise, we must risk vulnerability. Open up to new perspectives, to correction, to beauty we didn’t expect. Wisdom doesn’t grow in closed systems—it needs air, light, and the humility to say, “I hadn’t thought of that.” Opening up is how we let truth in.

•         James 1:19 — “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

Opening up means making space—for others, for truth, for transformation. It’s a posture of humility and hospitality.

•         Proverbs 18:15 — “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.”

Wisdom isn’t static—it’s hungry. It opens up to learn, to grow, to be changed.

 Admitting Yup – The Power within Confession

We admit the truth of mistakes, not in shame, but in strength.

Mistakes are inevitable. Owning them is optional. So the wise don’t dodge—they confess. They say “Yup, that was me,” and in doing so, they model courage. Admitting fault isn’t the end of credibility—it’s the beginning of trust. It’s how we grow, and how we lead.

•         1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

•         Proverbs 28:13 — “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Admitting, “Yup… that was me,” isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of healing, the door way to mercy and the welcoming of grace.