In high school I had friends who thought themselves brilliant. They would one-up each other with trivia memorized the night or a couple weeks before.

To them, this knowledge made them special.

I have had the good and bad fortune of knowing many intelligent people. These people take the tidbits of trivia further, knowing how to apply it. Unfortunately, intelligence can be applied to good or bad ends, and I have been on the end of each.

I have had the incredible fortune of knowing a couple wise people. Many consider themselves wise, often mistaking experience for wisdom. But wisdom comes from a special insight few posses. It comes from a reflective life. And it comes from knowing the difference between opinion and truth.

Intelligence is a gift, too frequently mis-used. Intellegence is a means to an end. That end, the higher calling, is wisdom. Wisdom is what tells us how and when to use intelligence. It is wisdom that benefits all.

Where it is tricky identifying though is the truly wise often don’t consider themselves as such.