Wisdom Grows In Dirt

 

The Seeds of Wisdom
by Dr. Phil Spears

There’s a difference between knowing and understanding.

You can memorize every quote in the book of Proverbs, repeat every sermon you've heard, and still find yourself circling the same mistakes. Why? Because wisdom isn’t found in what you collect. It’s found in what you plant.

Wisdom Grows in Dirt

You can’t grow anything worthwhile without getting your hands a little dirty. Wisdom is no exception. It grows in the soil of failure, humility, and reflection. It's born when you take a hard moment and say, “What can I learn from this?”

I’ve met brilliant minds who couldn’t hold a conversation without tearing someone down. And I’ve met folks who never finished school but had a deep, quiet wisdom that could settle a room. The difference? One sowed seeds of ego. The other sowed seeds of wisdom—usually through pain, patience, and practice.

The Illusion of Instant Insight

We live in an age that worships speed. Fast results. Quick answers. Instant clarity. But wisdom refuses to be rushed. It doesn't shout over the noise. It waits.

If you're asking deep questions—about your purpose, your path, your pain—you won't always get a lightning bolt of insight. Sometimes, you just need to sit with the question long enough to let it shape you. That’s when wisdom starts to grow.

Let the Seeds Speak

Here are three questions I come back to often. They’ve served me well, and I offer them to you as seeds to plant:

1. What lesson keeps repeating in my life—and why?
   Patterns point to something unhealed or unnoticed. Pay attention.

2. What truth am I avoiding because it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable?
   Wisdom often hides in the places we least want to look.

3. What would I tell my younger self—and am I living by it now?
   Advice is cheap when it’s not personal. But if it costs you something, it might just be true.

Wisdom Is Legacy

We don’t just gather wisdom for ourselves. We pass it on. Sometimes through stories, sometimes through silence. A wise person doesn’t need to always explain—they just need to live in a way that speaks louder than words.

So plant the seeds. In how you speak. How you listen. How you forgive. And how you choose, even when no one’s watching.

Because wisdom, like any good crop, takes time. But when it finally blooms, it feeds more than just you.

It feeds the future.

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Dr. Phil Spears is a counselor, speaker, and author who writes about personal growth, resilience, and the long road to wisdom. He believes in quiet strength, honest questions, and the power of a well-lived life.