Each person has heard of the words wisdom, knowledge, understanding and favor. I believe that each person is not aware of the power each word possesses. If so, more people would tap into their powers. Since people do not value these concepts, I will strive to make each an integral part of your life. Maybe you can go out and teach the importance of each to those people you know and follow.

I remember the prayers of my grandmother as a child. Her soft hands would rest on my head and the following words proceeded from her mouth, “Lord, give him wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.” “Raise him up and use him for your glory.” Then she’d yell, “favor!” My grandmother’s prayers were so powerful that I would feel them, literally. But it was not until I grew older that I really saw each pillar of character working in my life.

Wisdom entered my life during my teenage years, the most important time of my life. Through random people I would meet in passing, TV shows or family, wisdom spoke to me. It was my choice to pay attention and apply the advice. Again, these years were important. I would either set myself up for success or failure, depending on the choices I made during my teenage years. The more I honed in and applied what I learned from strangers, music or family, the louder and more frequently wisdom spoke to me. Wisdom showed me things through visions too. I recall the time our bathroom sink was broken, no running hot water. One night I fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream I went into the bathroom, twisted the nozzle under the sink, and the hot water started running again. Studies show that we forget 80 percent of the dreams we have in a single night. And I had forgot it when I woke up that morning. As many people do when they first get out of bed, I staggered to the bathroom. After I used it, I rested the palm of my hands on the front of my sink with my head down and eyes closed, thinking about getting back in bed. When I opened my eyes and saw that I was looking at the sink, immediately, the dream flashed across my mind and suddenly I had remembered it. I decided to test it to see if turning the nozzle as I did in the dream would actually work in the real world. So I did exactly what I did in the dream. And to my surprise, the hot water forced itself out of the sink’s faucet. I was astonished and scared and speechless and confused. But to this day, I believe it was wisdom showing me something. It showed me what it could do for me if I continued to adhere. Wisdom taught me character: how to talk, when to talk and what to say, what not to say, what to wear and on, and on, and on.

In his book The Tao of Wu, the RZA described an event where he applied wisdom in jail. He notes how he and others were playing Spades. The game is heavily based on strategy and in one game he and his partner were playing two other guys for their breakfast. His partner Mike was a huge muscular guy that many people did not want to bother. At first the two were playing and communicating well. However, the RZA made a big mistake that cost the game. Mike threw him a single that the RZA did not catch on to. And because of the two not knowing each other well enough, the RZA overlooked it and blew the game. It was at this moment that Mike jumped up, furious, like a raged lion. He cursed at the RZA aggressively. RZA exclaimed in his memoir, “I almost came with the same violence back at him.” In a second he deflected the beef by saying that they would get the guys next time, in another game. His soft answer calmed Mike down immediately. Mike responded, “Yeah, we’ll get them next time.” The RZA was saved by wit and wisdom. In Proverbs 15:1 Solomon notes that “a soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stirs up foolishness.” Man I have lived by that scripture and verse. If someone comes at you with hostility and anger in their heart respond with love, kindness, gentleness, just like the RZA did in his encounter. We all are faced with situations like that. Wisdom can keep you safe by suppressing anger. When we are angry, we tend to physically harm others, say things we do not mean and even harm ourselves. But wisdom helps you rationalize. It is beautiful. It comes right in the heat of a situation and begins to give you alternative options: you can walk away, you can apologize, you can give them a hug, ask them what you did wrong? Etc. In that second where you are deciding whether to react or respond, choose the wiser option. My mentor, Mr. Perkins, who is also a sage, used to always tell me, “Kenneth, do the next right thing.” It has kept me safe. It has protected me. It has been the cornerstone to my success and many other people alike. Wisdom grows the more you use it and listen to its advice. If I felt in my spirit to drive a different route to work, I would do it. Not knowing why I just did it. I could have been getting spared from an accident, who knows. I urge you to start asking God for wisdom. Having wisdom on your side is by far the greatest thing and feeling in the world. You see things differently. You attract other wise people into your life.

Knowledge is a subcategory of wisdom. It is everything you know in this natural world: math, science, language, history and so on. Where wisdom is more spiritual and intuitive, knowledge is more natural and information-like. You can pray for knowledge too. I did. I believe that college is the best place for your knowledge to grow. You learn and experience so much. However, I have heard people say, “Life in general is college,” which I agree with too. Never think that knowledge alone is the key. It is not. I know a lot of smart people who are not doing much with their lives. I know a lot of smart people who make foolish decisions. They are not governed by wisdom. Therefore use knowledge as a means to know more about this world around you and the people in it. But let wisdom guide you, always.

Understanding is the combination of wisdom and knowledge. You use it to assess situations and form conclusions about people, places and things.

Favor on the other hand is when God grants you privilege—despite your socioeconomic standing, lack of knowledge, limited skills, or inexperience. You need the favor of God to help you amass success. There will be times when you need something beyond your intelligence to work out situations and touch people hearts for you, and that is when his favor steps in. God grants favor to those who delight in, connect with and honor him. Never doubt the favor of God. I have ended up in great places that would have been out of my reach, if I did not have favor on my side. It makes you glow with attraction. People want to help you, be around you and befriend you. There have been times when people randomly blessed me with money and words of encouragement. When you have the favor of God operating in your life, you know it. You begin to ask God, do I deserve this? Favor is when you need one small point to get an A and God touches the teacher’s heart to give it to you. Favor is when you need more money and your boss reports to you saying you have a raise. Favor is when everyone loses their job except you.

You should know that the quickest way to lose favor is to develop an arrogant heart/spirit/attitude. And in Proverbs 18:12, God speaks through Solomon saying, “Before a downfall a heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” So through the years of surprise gifts, support, sacrifices made on my behalf, encouraging words, time with important people, being on TV, going to Africa and Peru, I have remained humble, drenched in humility. I can confidently say that is why God grants us the desires of our hearts because if we do well with a little, he’ll give us a little more, if we do well with that, he’ll add some more until our cup is running over. I like how Dave Ramsey puts it in his book the Legacy Journey. He postulates that we are all "stewards." Meaning we own nothing, it all belongs to God but he chooses us to manage it. And the better we manage the small things, the more he’ll give us to manage. Pray to God for favor. It is essential to have the favor of God reign over your life. To keep it though, you must remain humble and tread softly.

These four spiritual gifts are necessary. Attain them at all cost. Again, wisdom is guidance, knowledge is awareness, understanding is insight, and favor is nondiscriminatory privilege.