Ecclesiastes
Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left. Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.Ecclesiastes 10:1-3
Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge in a proper and beneficial way. It is not knowledge, but rather the use of knowledge that marks the difference between the wise man and the fool.
Throughout chapter 10, we see the damage a fool can do. It doesn’t matter if he is a king or a commoner … if he is at home or cruising down the road. Whatever he does is going to end up in a mess. Foolishness accompanies him every step of the way. “Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.”
Even the wisest of men can make a mess of things in a moment of foolishness. In that moment, he can undo a lifetime of wisdom, and people remember him only for his foolishness. “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.”
Foolishness plagues us. Therefore, we appeal to God for wisdom, and He will give it (see James 1:5,6). And how does this begin? “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Prov. 9:10) It begins at the baptismal font, where the fear of God (reverent faith) is instilled. By the Spirit, we embraced the redemption that Christ gained for us. Then, like a tree planted in the soil of the Gospel, wisdom grows as we hear and learn God’s Word. Always, at the heart of it, is Jesus, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). Get to know Him better, and your wisdom will increase.
Wisdom's highest, noblest treasure,
Jesus, lies concealed in Thee;
Grant that this may still the measure
Of my will and actions be.
The Lutheran Hymnal 366:5