Realize, Awareness, Understand, and Comprehend

Five-Minute Friday – Realize (Do you have the full picture?)

There are some great idioms that help us express realization. They include, seeing the light, getting the full picture, putting two and two together, and getting a handle on something. To realize is to understand reality. Sadly, it is very often possible to realize without following through with right actions and thinking. We gain knowledge, and assuming the knowledge is true, we gain understanding. However, if this is not followed by the right application, we lack wisdom.

King Solomon, perhaps more than anyone else in history, understood the relative value of wisdom and understanding. In Proverbs 16:16 he declared, “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” Obviously, both wisdom and understanding had great value to Solomon. Although he was not comparing the relative value of wisdom and understanding (realize!), it is interesting that he put the more expensive and rare metal to work as the value of wisdom.

Where We Fall Short

Looking at it another way, many gain a lot of knowledge, and some even gain understanding from the knowledge they gain. But, as is often the case, they lack the ability to rightly apply understanding in relationships, financial decisions, and things of eternal value. They lack wisdom. It is better to be five years old with limited knowledge or understanding, and be wise, than it is to have a library full of knowledge and understanding and no wisdom.

Don’t Try to Outwit God

There is one other key truth that we must not miss. There is “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.” Proverbs 21:30 You may be very wise, but don’t think you can rise so high in that desirable trait that you have reached the pinnacle. Even with wisdom, you cannot out-maneuver the Lord Almighty.

The Best Realization Remedy

Usually the best remedy for living with wisdom is to read, comprehend, and then realize the truth in God’s Word. The reality is our need to realize we are sinners; we have dramatically failed to image God. The Son of God has come that we might have understanding, wisdom, and eternal life. You don’t need vast knowledge or a superior intellect. A little child can understand and respond by faith.

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

They have gained an understanding that produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is only realized when we know the Son of God.

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.