Ecclesiastes 8:1
"Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed."
If I were trying to find someone who is wise, then I would try to determine what their habits are so I could identify them. It is asked in the verse above, "Who is as the wise man?" This rhetorical question is answered throughout this book. The reason this question was asked was to get the reader to find the answers that were already given throughout this book. As you study the Book of Ecclesiastes, you will find there are four main habits of a wise man.
First, the wise man is one who thinks before he acts. Ecclesiastes 2:14 says, "The wise man's eyes are in his head..." The wise man does not act rashly; rather, he stops and thinks before he acts. You are never wise when you act off a whim. If you want to mimic a wise man, then you would be wise to think before you act.
Second, the wise man is one who is discerning. Ecclesiastes 8:5 says, "...a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment." One of the greatest weaknesses I find in people today is a lack of discernment. This ability to be able to show good judgment of when to do something and the ability to determine whether something is right or wrong. If you would like to be one who is different than most, then acquire the ability to discern time and judgment and you will easily rise above the average.
Third, the wise man is one who protects his heart. Ecclesiastes 10:2 says, "A wise man's heart is at his right hand..." This is nothing more than a person being able to determine direction. Very few people protect their heart in this area. If you can acquire the ability to discern, then your discernment will help you to determine direction. Protect your heart from those whose direction is wrong.
Fourth, the wise man is one who protects their words. Ecclesiastes 10:12 says, "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious..." The wise man understands that everything he says can be used against him. This is why he is very gracious, or calculating with what he says. He knows that whatever he says will always be remembered by someone who is listening. Instead of continuously talking, the wise man is protective with his words.
The reason I've written this devotional is because everyone needs to find wise people whom they let influence them. Let me encourage you to be very careful whom you allow to influence you. Only allow wise people to be those who guide and influence you. This is not to say that you should shun others, but those who influence you are those who determine where you will end up in life.
Look at those people who influence you. Do they exhibit these habits? Better yet, do you exhibit these habits? As the verse above teaches, when you become wise, then you will exhibit confidence in what you are doing. The best way to gain the confidence you need in life is to surround yourself with wise people because "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise..." (Proverbs 13:20)