Knowledge and wisdom are two words we often hear together, but they are not the same. While both are important, they serve different purposes in our lives.
Story: Learning The Hard Way (Source: Internet)
The son of a master thief asked his father to teach him the trade secrets. The old thief agreed, and that night took his son to burglarize a large house. While the family was asleep, he silently led his young apprentice into a room that contained a clothes closet.
The father told his son to go into the closet to pick some clothes. When he did, his father quickly shut the door and locked him in. Then he went back outside, knocking loudly on the front door, waking the family.
Then he quickly slipped away before anyone saw him. Hours later, his son returned home, bedraggled and exhausted.
“Father,” he cried angrily, “Why did you lock me in that closet? If I hadn’t been made desperate by my fear of getting caught, I never would have escaped. It took all my ingenuity to get out!”
The old thief smiled. “Son, you have had your first lesson in the art of burglary.”
Moral of The Story: A challenge brings out the most in a man.
What is Knowledge?
Knowledge is all about learning facts and information. It comes from books, schools, the internet, and life experiences. For example, if you know that the Earth revolves around the Sun, that is knowledge. Knowledge helps us understand the world and how things work.
But knowing does not mean you always know how to use it in the best way.
What is Wisdom?
Wisdom is about using knowledge in the right way. It comes from experience, reflection, and understanding life deeply. While knowledge tells you the “what” or “how,” wisdom answers the “why” and “when.”
For example, knowledge is knowing how to drive a car. Wisdom is deciding when it’s safe to drive in the hills or foggy morning.
The Key Differences
- Learning vs. Applying: Knowledge is about learning new things. Example: When we want to learn to swim, by reading or seeing videos, theoretically we can learn how to rotate our hands, legs, & head and how to take a breath.
Wisdom is about applying what you’ve learned to make better decisions. Example: When we apply the knowledge of swimming in the swimming pool, we get the real experience of swimming and possible challenges!
- Facts vs. Judgment: Knowledge is having facts. Example: In science, the teacher teaches the formula for calculating the Focal length of a mirror and a lens.
Wisdom is knowing how to use those facts wisely. Example: When we are designing test equipment to check the image of a headlight in 1 foot instead of measuring in a 25-meter dark room, understanding the formula helps.
- External vs. Internal: Knowledge often comes from outside sources, like books and teachers. Example: When we listen to spiritual talk, we learn many things about our minds.
Wisdom grows from within, through experience and understanding. Example: When we are in a challenging situation like an accident or the death of a near one, the real purpose and understanding of spiritual knowledge come into practice.
- Immediate vs. Long-Term: Knowledge helps you in the moment. Example: Many wise people teach us that we should know whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall (are we on the right path?)
Wisdom helps you think about the long-term effects of your actions. Example: With experience, we realise that if the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong 
place faster.
Conclusion
In essence, knowledge is the foundation, while wisdom is the bridge that connects understanding with action.